#Riley Baron

[ghostsforghosts]

A Mutually Beneficial Deal

COD Regency AU... I've been holding off on making this because I don't really enjoy writing period-typical homophobia (or really homophobia in general), but this AU keeps pulling me in. And I had a vision of an idea, so here I am. If you haven't already guessed, Reader is male. Summary: You were a baron, the lowest rank in the peerage and you had only gotten the title because you were the only son in your family. Your father had died recently, giving you the title because he had no brother to give it to. Since you were of low ranking among the ton, your family was in desperate need of marrying into a wealthier family. However, you were introverted and not really looking forward to marrying a woman, so your mother's attention switched to your baby sister who was the oldest of your sisters. As the only man of the house, it was up to you to find a suitor for you sister. Word Count: 2, 145

"You can't just go marrying another Baron," your mother said to your sister, Susannah. She sounded exhausted with her, having to repeat this several times ever since your father died. "We need more respect in the ton now that your father is gone, so you need to marry up. You need marry…an Earl. An Earl will help us with the debts your bastard father left us."

Susannah pouted at your mother, but the pouting didn’t last long as your mother glared at her. “Mama, please. I understand why not a baron, but an Earl? What difference is there between an Earl and a Viscount? A Viscount can make us financially stable,” she complained.

Your mother tutted at her, really displeased that Susannah seemed to have her head in the clouds with how often your mother had told why her betrothed couldn't be a Viscount. "Foolish girl, look up from your books and pay attention from time to time. The reason why not a Viscount is because Earls are guaranteed to have enough money for our debts and we will gain so much more respect if you snag an Earl instead of a Viscount."

You tapped your foot, wondering why you had been called here if your mother was just going to ignore you and berate your sister. You stood up, instinctively smoothing out your coat as you did so.

"Mama, I have paperwork to get to, please excuse me."

You moved to leave, but your mother wasn't having it.

"There's nothing more important than ensuring your sister gets married to a reputable man," your mother answered, giving you a withering look. She was pleased when you sat back down, continuing now that she knew you were listening. "Perhaps, while you stood near the walls during balls, you've noticed anyone who is a good suitor for your sister. You need to do more in this situation than be Susannah's chaperone. I can't do everything here."

"I hear mostly of scandals, Mama." You tried your best not to shift beneath her gaze, knowing she wouldn't like you showing the slightest hint of fear. "Most of the men I hear about are not men Susannah should be with, considering their rakish reputations. But I can certainly make more of an effort to find suitable men for her," you added, wanting to appease her.

Your mother smiled, but it was a harsh smile that would fade quickly if you didn’t do what you said. “Good, I’m glad I can count on you, {Name}.”

She then turned back to Susannah, dismissing you with a wave.

You didn’t hesitate to get up once more and to finally leave the drawing room, knowing that if you had stayed, she would’ve dragged you back into the conversation. And you did really have paperwork to do.

Once you got to your study—it was actually your late father's but it was now yours since you were a baron—, you sat down with a sigh. You had so much to do ever since your father died and your mother just kept piling things onto your plate. You didn't know when you would get to finding Susannah a suitor, but you'd have to make time.

The day passed by and you had busied yourself with paperwork, telling your mother you'll skip out on eating dinner with them since you were going to go to the gentleman's club in search of a suitor for Susannah. Your mother was happy, so she let you go.

Going by carriage, you arrived at the gentleman's club you've been a member of since you were of age to do so.

It wasn't the most lavish and expensive gentleman's club in the ton, but it was enough for you. And it was enough for some earls too, which would help in seeing who was an eligible suitor.

"My Lord Baron!" The man who owned the gentleman's club, Edgard Shakerley, said as you stepped inside the club. He greeted you warmly, despite not knowing you that well. "I'm glad to see you here again, Lord {Name}. We've missed you and we're sorry for your loss."

You merely smiled in greeting, not liking the way everyone seemed to extend their condolences every single time they saw you. You made your way to the main room of the club, sitting down after getting a drink.

Thankfully, the very small group of friends you had made while being a member of the gentlemen's club were also there and you sat with them. They knew better than to offer their condolences, instead asking about how your workload was.

"I have so many people to write back to and so many payments to do, it's exhausting," you complained, happy to have people to talk to. You lounged in your chair, oblivious to everyone except your friends. "And on top of all of that, my mother is tasking me with the job of finding a good enough suitor for Susannah. Which is why I came here, hoping to find someone reputable. An Earl."

One of your friends, a Viscount named Griffith Yorke, perked up at that. "A reputable Earl, you say? I have just the man in mind, and he's coming this way."

Before you could persuade him not to call out to his friend, Griffith had done so with no prompting.

"My Lord Earl! It's so good to see you! Come, Lord Riley. Sit with us."

You turned your head to look at the man Griffith was talking to, seeing a huge, scarred man who was walking with a cane. You knew this man, but mostly everyone did.

He had brown hair and brown eyes that were haunted, his stature tall and built. He filled out his clothes wonderfully and moved gracefully even with the limp he had gotten five years ago after returning home wounded from the war. His cane was made of oak wood, its shine lost due to years of the earl using it, his clothes perfect even as he moved.

Despite being upset at your friend calling the earl over, you couldn't help but agree that Lord Earl Riley was an honorable man. He was involved in no scandal that you had ever heard of and all that the gossip the ton spread about him were just of them hoping he'd take a wife soon. There were no rumors of debts he piled up or rumors of him having premarital sex with debauched women.

He was just a regular man, who simply was not one to socialize much. He seemed a lot like you in that regard.

"Everyone, this is Lord Simon Riley," Griffith said, gesturing to Lord Riley when the lord had stopped in front of the group.

Everyone greeted the earl and introduced themselves in turn, a chair being pulled up for him. You ended up sitting side by side as everyone else asked the earl how he was and what he was doing at the gentlemen's club.

Somehow, though you expect it was Griffith's doing, you end up sitting with just Lord Riley an hour later. Everyone gave some excuse or the other for needing to leave, bidding you both goodnight. Griffith was the last one to leave and he whispered something in Lord Riley's ear before leaving.

You stared at the bottom of your fourth glass, feeling the buzz of the alcohol. "I need a suitor," you blurted out, more inebriated than you thought you were. You cleared your throat, still not looking Lord Riley in the eyes but you looked up in his general direction. "My sister, Susannah, needs a suitor. A reputable one and an Earl."

Lord Riley raised an eyebrow, drawing your attention to the jagged knife scars on his face. "I do need a wife," he said surprisingly, taking a sip of his own drink. "The debutantes keep swarming me every time marriage season comes. It'd be nice to have a reason for them to back off."

"Are…" Your throat felt like there was a rock in there and you swallowed hard, trying to get the words out of your mouth. "Are you suggesting you marry my sister?" you asked, wanting to leave no room for misunderstandings.

"That's what you want, isn't it?" Lord Riley was still holding eye contact with you, refusing to look away whereas you couldn't bear to look into his eyes for too long. "You want a suitor for your sister and I want a wife to make the other women leave me alone. It seems like a beneficial situation to the both of us to me."

You couldn't stay help yourself but reveal the entire situation, giving the earl more information than your mother probably wanted you to give a potential suitor. You talked about all of the debts your father had wracked up while he was alive, how his debtors were still wanting money despite his untimely death.

By the time you finished saying everything, you two were one of the last few lounging in the gentlemen's club, the only lights being the candles which casted a soft golden glow on your huddled figures. You both had lowered your voices, knowing that this subject shouldn't be loud for others to hear.

Lord Riley was so close to you now, his long legs brushing against yours with every small shift of his body in his chair. "I'm surprised you're not also marrying this season, since you could marry up as well and get a sizable dowry from your future wife's father," he said, but his words weren't judgmental but curious.

He was curious about you, showing you attention most high-ranking men in the ton wouldn't. It was certainly something new to have someone so popular among everyone else be willingly sitting with you for this long.

"I don't really want to marry a woman," you admitted after a while, finding the strength to do so. You were worried Lord Riley would turn you in to the authorities, but you only saw the same non-judgmental look on his face he had been sporting the entire time you talked. "I know I will have to, eventually. But I just can't fall in love with women and it feels wrong to marry one when I know it'd be a loveless marriage."

"I'm the same way," Lord Riley answered, giving you the same sincerity you gave him. He sighed, wiping away the condensation on his glass with his gloved thumb. "But most marriages are loveless at the start and to be respected, we have to hide away our true selves. Your sister… I'm sure she's an amazing woman, but I will never love her. I can, however, give her and your family financial stability and status that will allow her and you to live comfortably."

You honestly couldn't ask for a better solution to your family's financial situation, but you knew that you shouldn't solidify anything until your sister agrees. She was, after all, the one whom Lord Riley would be marrying.

You stood up suddenly, placing your glass haphazardly on the table before you. "I should go, but I will write to you with the answer to the deal you propose. I just first have to talk to Susannah about this," you said, bowing to Lord Riley. "Goodnight, my lord."

You turned to walk away, but Lord Riley's hand reached over to grip your wrist. His fingers wrapped around your wrist quite easily, leaving just a little bit of space between his fingers since you were no dainty man.

"If your sister agrees to this arrangement, perhaps we don't have to resign ourselves to being alone in our desires." His brown eyes bore into yours, his words causing shivers down your spine. "We don't even have to act on them, we can just bond over being in the same situation. Just think about it, okay? I'll settle for just seeing you because of my courting of Susannah, if that's what you want."

Your heart soared at the offer, wanting to say yes. For so long, you have hid your true self and your desires from your friends and you longed to be truthful with someone. You yearned to have someone know what you were going through, to have someone who could understand and who you could understand in return.

But the offer was not one that could be rushed. You'd need time to see if that was what you wanted or if you wanted to be professional with Lord Riley.

So you merely nodded, glad that was all the answer the man needed before he let go of your wrist. You took one last look before bidding him goodnight once more, turning on your heels afterwards and leaving.

It seemed like your family's luck was turning and there was a light at the end of the tunnel. If your sister took the offer, that is.

Flower banner made by @/dollywons and reblog & mdni dividers made by @/cafekitsune

Requests are open!

[eggcompany]

I’d eat that little European queer like a fruit snack

[cas-backwards-tie]

WIP Tag Game

rules: make a new post with the names of all the files in your wip folder, regardless of how nondescriptive or ridiculous. let people sent an ask with the title that intrigues them the most, then post a little snippet or tell them something about it.

I was tagged by @vgilantee ! Ahh, thanks so much for tagging me 🥰🙌🏻 I absolutely love these things. I have like… 95 drafts so, I have a lot that’s in the works… but so many I’ve given up on, etc. that I’m just gonna put the ones I’m currently working on.

Trials & Triumphs [Chapter 4: Strength United]

The Long Road [Chapter 2: ____] (I haven’t picked a title yet)

Heiress of Gotham [Chapter 7: Uncharted Territory]

The Family Name [Chapter Two: Revelations]

The Missing Title [Chapter 3: Fate Rewritten]

What A Waste (Simon Ghost Riley x Reader)

Untitled (Johnny Soap MacTavish x PlusSize!Reader)

The Omega Pack Plan (Poly!Taskforce141 x Omega!Reader)

Untitled (Vladimir Makarov x Reader)

Just Like Me [Chapter 4: Mission Awry]

tagging: @void-my-warranty , @waves-against-a-cliff , @glossysoap , @brewed-pangolin , @sprout-fics , @blingblong55 , @lxvvie , @stargirlrchive , @wordstome

[rawsmackdownnxtdivas]

Bron Breakker(c) and Baron Corbin(c) vs Chase U - NXT Tag Team Titles:NXT Roadblock 3/5/24

[claresedwards]

Happy Pride Month 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

[arutai]

Mia Barone by Chris Riley

[perfettamentechic]

6 giugno … ricordiamo …

6 giugno … ricordiamo … #semprevivineiricordi #nomidaricordare #personaggiimportanti #perfettamentechic

2023: Pat Cooper, nato Pasquale Caputo, attore statunitense. Cooper nacque a Brooklyn, da Michael Caputo (Michele Caputo), un muratore italiano originario di Mola di Bari, e da Louise Gargiulo, nata anch’ella a Brooklyn da immigrati italiani. Recitò in circa 20 film a partire dall’inizio degli anni sessanta e divenne noto per il film Terapia e pallottole e il suo sequel Un boss sotto stress. Si…

[pupsmailbox]

NEUTRAL LEANING MASC NAMES︰ abner.　 abram.　 adam.　 adrian.　 alex.　 alistair.　 andreas.　 ariel.　 arlen.　 arley.　 arlo.　 ash.　 atlas.　 auden.　 august.　 austin.　 avery.　 bailey.　 baron.　 barrett.　 baylor.　 beauden.　 bee.　 bellamy.　 bennett.　 blair.　 blaise.　 bowen.　 brayden.　 brendan.　 bronson.　 bryce.　 byron.　 caius.　 caleb.　 callahan.　 callan.　 calloway.　 callum.　 camden.　 cameron.　 carlin.　 carson.　 casey.　 cassian.　 chandler.　 chase.　 cody.　 cole.　 connolly.　 corban.　 corwin.　 cyrus.　 dallas.　 damion.　 damon.　 daniel.　 darius.　 davis.　 dawson.　 daylon.　 denver.　 desmond.　 devin.　 doran.　 dorian.　 drew.　 elian.　 elias.　 ellery.　 ellison.　 emery.　 ethan.　 evan.　 ezra.　 fallen.　 farren.　 finley.　 ford.　 foster.　 gabriel.　 gannon.　 garner.　 gavin.　 gentry.　 graham.　 greer.　 griffin.　 guthrie.　 harley.　 harlow.　 hartley.　 hayden.　 henley.　 henry.　 heron.　 hollis.　 hunter.　 ian.　 irving.　 isaiah.　 jace.　 james.　 jameson.　 jared.　 jeremiah.　 joel.　 jonah.　 joran.　 jordan.　 jory.　 josiah.　 jovian.　 jude.　 julian.　 juno.　 justus.　 kalen.　 kamden.　 kay.　 kayden.　 keaton.　 kellan.　 keller.　 kelly.　 kendon.　 kieran.　 kit.　 kylan.　 landry.　 lane.　 lennon.　 leslie.　 levi.　 leyton.　 liam.　 linden.　 lowell.　 luca.　 madden.　 marley.　 marlow.　 marshall.　 martin.　 mason.　 mathias.　 mercer.　 merritt.　 micah.　 miles.　 miller.　 milo.　 morgan.　 morrie.　 morrison.　 nate.　 nevin.　 nick.　 nicky.　 nico.　 nicolas.　 noah.　 noel.　 nolan.　 oren.　 orion.　 owen.　 parker.　 percy.　 perrin.　 peyton.　 pierce.　 porter.　 preston.　 quincy.　 quinn.　 reece.　 reid.　 reign.　 rein.　 remi.　 remington.　 renley.　 riley.　 river.　 robin.　 rollins.　 ronan.　 rory.　 rowan.　 russell.　 ryan.　 rylan.　 sam.　 samuel.　 sawyer.　 saylor.　 seth.　 shiloh.　 soren.　 spencer.　 stellan.　 sterling.　 talon.　 taylor.　 thaddeus.　 thane.　 theo.　 toni.　 tracy.　 tristan.　 tyrus.　 valor.　 warner.　 wells.　 wesley.　 whitten.　 william.　 willis.　 wylie.　

NEUTRAL LEANING FEM NAMES︰ abigaël.　 abilene.　 addison.　 adrian.　 ainsley.　 alexis.　 and.　 andrea.　 arden.　 aria.　 ashley.　 aspen.　 aubrey.　 autumn.　 avery.　 avian.　 ayla.　 bailey.　 beryl.　 blair.　 blaire.　 blake.　 briar.　 brooklyn.　 brooks.　 bryce.　 cameron.　 camille.　 casey.　 celeste.　 channing.　 charlie.　 chase.　 collins.　 cordelia.　 courtney.　 daisy.　 dakota.　 dana.　 darby.　 darcy.　 delaney.　 delilah.　 devin.　 dylan.　 eden.　 eisley.　 elia.　 ellerie.　 ellery.　 ellie.　 elliot.　 elliott.　 ellis.　 ellory.　 ember.　 emelin.　 emerson.　 emery.　 evelyn.　 ezra.　 fallon.　 finley.　 fiore.　 florence.　 floris.　 frances.　 greer.　 gwenaël.　 hadley.　 harley.　 harper.　 haven.　 hayden.　 heike.　 hollis.　 hunter.　 ivy.　 jade.　 jamie.　 jocelyn.　 jordan.　 jude.　 juno.　 kelly.　 kelsey.　 kendall.　 kennedy.　 koda.　 kyrie.　 lacey.　 lane.　 leighton.　 lennon.　 lennox.　 lesley.　 leslie.　 lilian.　 lindsay.　 loden.　 logan.　 lou.　 lyric.　 madison.　 mallory.　 marinell.　 marley.　 mckenzie.　 melody.　 mercede.　 meredith.　 mio.　 misha.　 monroe.　 montana.　 morgan.　 nico.　 nova.　 oakley.　 olympia.　 owen.　 page.　 palmer.　 parker.　 pat.　 paulie.　 perri.　 petyon.　 peyton.　 phoenix.　 piper.　 priscilla.　 quinn.　 raven.　 ray.　 reagan.　 reece.　 reese.　 remi.　 remy.　 riley.　 rio.　 river.　 robin.　 rory.　 rosario.　 rowan.　 ryan.　 rylie.　 sacha.　 sage.　 sam.　 sammy.　 santana.　 sasha.　 sawyer.　 saylor.　 severin.　 shannon.　 shelby.　 shiloh.　 skye.　 skylar.　 sloane.　 sol.　 soleil.　 sterling.　 stevie.　 sutton.　 swan.　 swann.　 sydney.　 tatum.　 taylo.　 taylor.　 tracey.　 valentine.　 vanya.　 vivendel.　 vivian.　 vivien.　 wren.　 wynn.　 yael.

[itsa-me-lily]

I want to say I apologize for Simon, but I don’t. I’m right and you can’t hide the tru-*huge hook comes from off stage and takes me off stage*

Also the groveling is going to be good. So good people trust me.

I've been keeping up with your Baron Konïg AU and I'm OBSESSED-

But I have to know, what about Gaz, Simon and Price? I haven't really heard much on them and I want to know so bad 😞😞

Love your writing and hope your having a wonderful day/night 💗

Teeheeheeehee, I was hoping someone would ask ngl. @itsa-me-lily helped me come up with the backstories, and as always please enjoy! I hope you also have a wonderful day and thank you!

Some general basics real quick: -As a general reminder, we are going off of vibes, and so some things may just be handwaved. -Price is also a Duke, Simon a Marquess, and Kyle an Earl, due to their COD rankings; if Johnny hadn't been the duke in this he would also be an Earl -Vaguely they all do business of some kind concerning their own lands. I haven't charted out the specifics yet, though all of them are involved in lumber trade and the selling of goods. A quick search mostly just addresses the political power or lack thereof, but they have to have money coming from somewhere. -Price and Simon both served in the military regarding some vague war, as did Konig. Price at one point was on the battlefield (thankfully the same side) as Konig while Simon was stationed somewhere else. Now, as to these men individually. I'll be sorting them in order of least to most awful. First up is Kyle. He is the youngest of the men, though not by much. Came into his own title via inheritance, though he's not a spoiled brat. Objectively the best of the four to deal with, he's polite and kind but tends to shy away from women due to wanting to keep his heart safe. At this point he is looking to get engaged, follow the general structure expected of a noble. He's the best at using flattery to get what he wants, the 'innocent' approach disarming those around him. The first one to hear of any salacious rumors, he and Johnny tend to gossip like bored wives during the courting seasons. If I had to pick one of these men to marry, it would be Kyle: he might not be in love with me, but he would treat me well and for something like this AU that's the optimal result. Next is our dearest fellow Duke, Duke Price. The man is pragmatic to say the least. When it comes to getting information he uses a mix of casual conversation and the hard press, the first to hear of any economic stirrings that might interfere with his lifestyle. The one most built for business, his nobility comes from a mix of lineage, wealth, and power. He worked hard to get where he is, and while he can be friendly, at his core he tends to treat those he doesn't consider a close friend with basic courtesy. He has no intention of settling down, content instead with courtesans. Clean business, an exchange in which both parties get what they want. Officially has no children, though off the books he has a handful of them. He doesn't feel he would make a good full-time father, and so instead sends the mothers whatever they need financially to take care of them. And finally, Marquess Simon. A man who built his status off of military prowess and a subsequent ability to root out any misdeeds amongst his cohorts, the first to hear of any more illicit deeds that could result in charges being pressed. It helps to keep him and the others from associating with those that cross the line too far and would tarnish their good names. In a manner similar to Konig wears a face covering, though only from the cheeks down, adding an air of mystery without triggering the fight or flight response unintentionally. To quote @itsa-me-lily "this man is a menace to women". Where Price is content and honest with his dalliances, Simon prides himself in his ability to charm women. He comes across as the rough gentleman, not quite a scoundrel like Johnny, the kind of man who triggers the 'I can fix him' or 'I'm the exception' reflex in the ladies at court. He enjoys the thrill of the chase while also not making any promises. Also has unofficial children, but where Price takes care of his, Simon turns a blind eye to them. The worst one of the bunch without question, including Johnny. I have plans for all of these men, because A) I like men groveling and B) If anything this AU is about taking accountability for the flippancy of powerful men.

[ghostsforghosts]

The Start of a Courtship

(NOTE: This is the second part of a COD Regency AU, the first part is here.) This took longer than I had expected, oof. But it is finally written, so I can't complain. Anyways, like last time, Reader is male. Summary: It's time for the first ball of the season and this time, Susannah has a suitor to impress. Meanwhile, Lord Riley is getting closer to you, wanting your presence beside him. Word Count: 1,899

You resisted the urge to fiddle with your gloves, waiting in the main foyer for Susannah.

She was taking longer than you expected to get ready, but perhaps that was to be expected. She had accepted the deal Lord Riley had made and thus for this deal to work, she had to pretend to impress him so well that he'd want to start courting her. This was not only because she had to fool the ton, but she also had to fool your mother.

"One might think you're the one who had to impress suitors," Mama said, her voice biting as she stared at you being fidgety. She slapped your hands down until they stopped fiddling with your gloves, her hands not being kind to you in her actions. "Stop it. You're the man of the house, the Baron. You can't go acting like you're a child who has no clue what you're doing."

You nodded in agreement, deciding to tightly clasp your hands behind your back so you no longer fiddle with the gloves. The seconds seemed to tick slowly, your impatience growing as you all waited for Susannah.

Susannah finally came down the stairs, wearing this gorgeous red-lilac gown adorned with gold beads, her gloves matching the gown. Around her neck was a gold necklace that surely must've cost more than anything you were wearing, Susannah having chosen something that was an eye-catcher to draw Lord Riley in.

You had been conversing with the lord for the past week via letters and learned red and lilac were his favorite colors, so you had been sure to tell Susannah so she could buy a dress Lord Riley would love. You had to sell this ruse, for it to work, which meant she had to make his breath hitch.

A small red rose was clipped to the breast of your tailcoat, as you had been unable to resist adding one of Lord Riley's colors to your outfit.

Mama looked at Susannah with pride, her smile genuine when it came to her daughters. "Look at you, a gem in the making. All the lords will be fawning over you," she said, helping Susannah down the last few steps.

"Lord {Last Name}, the carriage is ready for you," the footman of the carriage said, having come inside to tell you.

"Shall we?" You asked your family, gesturing for them to lead. You stepped aside so your mother could lead Susannah outside.

You were the last one out of the house, the footmen closing the doors behind you. Walking to the carriage, you tried to steel your nerves, hoping this ruse worked.

The journey to the ball was silent, with no one wanting to talk and break it by saying something potentially awkward. Even your mother ignored Susannah's fidgeting so she didn't have to be the first one to speak.

All too soon, the carriage stopped at the manor hosting the ball and you got out with your family following.

Since you were the man of the house, you looped your arm with Susannah's, leading her up the steps and inside the manor. You followed the procession of guests who had come just a few moments before your family did, following them to the ballroom.

Susannah had done so well dressing up nicely that when you two entered, all eyes were on her. She didn't buckle under all the attention, keeping her head high like she wasn't internally screaming with nerves.

It helped that you led her around like you had so much experience showing off your debutante sister. You made your way to the king and the queen were lounging around, waiting in line with Susannah to greet the pair of royals.

The line went quickly and when you two finished greeting the royals, you let her mingle. You didn't go far, knowing that suitors would soon flock to her and you didn't want her to become overwhelmed.

You watched on, watching her talk to her friends while sometimes engaging in conversations with suitors. You saw that your mother was pleased, her eyes twinkling as she watched Susannah as well.

The man you were waiting for arrived, Lord Riley's cane clacking against the ballroom floor being heard before you saw him. All eyes turned onto him, seeing him walk inside the ballroom with his head held high.

He was wearing your favorite color and he looked so handsome in it, your breath catching in your throat as he walked towards the king and queen with a determined stride. With him needing to greet the royals first, it gave you time to walk over to Susannah and wait for him to come to her when he was done.

Your heart was fluttering and you had to remind yourself that Lord Riley was here for your sister, not you. Or well, he was pretending to be here for your sister.

Lord Riley finished greeting the royals and immediately turned towards where you and Susannah were just milling about, waiting for him. His strides remained confident as he walked over, giving a subtle glance over at you and Susannah.

You were pleased when he seemed to have a sparkle in his eye when he caught the red rose attached to the breast of your tailcoat. He seemed to like it very much, exactly as you had wanted him to.

"Lord {Last Name}, Miss {Last Name}, good evening to you both." Lord Riley greeted you two, bowing to you both as he did so.

"My Lord," you and Susannah both replied, bowing as well.

Lord Riley's brown eyes lingered on you briefly before turning to Susannah. "M'lady, you are looking marvelous tonight," he murmured, sounding sincere as he took her gloved hand and placed a kiss on it.

You had the strangest need for him to kiss your hand like he had hers. You wanted his attention, despite how improper it would be to have it during the ball.

Susannah grew flustered at the compliment and hastily searched for a compliment to give to the lord, complimenting his cane. The conversation was a little awkward, but she was handling it wonderfully.

You kept standing by your sister's side until Lord Riley asked her for a dance. You secretly wished you could dance with him, but you settled for watching him dance with Susannah.

Even with his limp, Lord Riley was dancing gracefully, leading Susannah well through the dance as the music played. Each step was a brushstroke to a larger masterpiece, one that played out through your eyes in real-time.

They were standing at a respectable distance as they danced, but each dance was always intimate in its own way. The eye contact that was held, the gentle grips of each other's hands, and their respective touches on each other's bodies (hers on his shoulders and his on her waist). You knew from experience of dancing with other ladies that he could see the subtle flecks in her iris, he could see her makeup up close and personal.

God, you wished you could see the flecks of color in his eyes, hold his hand and shoulder. He was a masterpiece, but one that was out of reach for you to see.

The dance, finally, ended and they pulled away.

Susannah got pulled into another dance with another lord, but as if they had thought of how to pull this ruse off together, none of her other dances had the same chemistry as hers and Lord Riley's did. Everyone who wasn't dancing was quickly murmuring about how well Susannah and Lord Riley clicked, how it was like sparks had ignited as soon they had met.

You were too busy watching your mother brag to her friends about her daughter managing to catch the eye of an earl to notice Lord Riley sliding up to you and taking in the image of you.

"Are you wishing that I had danced with you?" he asked, his voice a low murmur which quickly made you aware of his presence beside you. He stared at you beneath hooded eyes, his gaze steady as you turned to face him.

"Is it wrong of me to indeed wish we had danced together?" you asked in return, your hands feeling sweaty beneath your gloves as you stared into his eyes.

It felt wrong to even admit that you had wished to dance with him, but at this moment, you felt so safe with him. You felt like you could say anything and he wouldn't judge you.

Lord Riley's face brightened as his lips pulled into a smile, making his scarred face look more handsome. "I too wish we could've danced," he admitted freely once he made sure no one else was nearby. His lips parted as he continued to stare at you. "Forgive me for being so bold, but you draw me in like no other. It was very hard to keep my eyes on your sister while dancing when all they wanted was to look upon you."

Your heart skipped a beat and you had to hide a smile, knowing that you'd be beaming too much that others would become curious. You couldn't believe your ears, but perhaps you shouldn't have been surprised.

You hadn't just taken up the offer of Lord Riley being Susannah's suitor, but also the offer of you two being... friends. You had bonded over your mutual attraction to men and he had often written about his desires for you in the letters you two exchanged.

You weren't in the place to express your desires for him yet, but you had let him know that his doing so wasn't unwelcoming for you.

You wetted your dry lips with your tongue, trying to wet your dry mouth. "I draw you in?" you asked, unable to help yourself from wanting to know more.

"I long to be beside you exactly as I am now, the two of us so close," Lord Riley answered, his free hand that wasn't holding his cane twitching with the need to touch you. He groaned softly, forcing himself to place his hand behind his back. "If we were in my manor, I wouldn't hesitate to draw you closer to me. To give you the dance we both wish to have."

"Perhaps one day," you said too quickly for your liking. Your heart was pounding in your chest, a warmth filling your body as you thought about the two of you dancing with no eyes upon you two. "Perhaps I could come over one day and we can have that dance."

"I'd love that."

The rest of the ball wasn't as exciting as the beginning of it was and you could tell your family were slowly starting to get tired, especially Susannah who had been dancing with lords left and right for most of the night. You had stayed next to Lord Riley for most of it and so you bid him goodnight, giving him one last look before going to gather your siblings and mother.

As all of you got into your carriage and left the ball, you couldn't help but think about the next time you could meet Lord Riley. You hoped it be somewhere more private, so you two could touch each other freely.

You could only hope this arrangement wasn't found out. It'd be a shame to never see Lord Riley again.

Flower banner made by @/dollywons and reblog & mdni dividers made by @/cafekitsune

Requests are open!

[thegnomelord]

POV: Demon Simon Ghost Riley who becomes your 'husband' through some shoddy occult shenanigans.

Simon is a fallen angel turned wrath demon. Once God's exalted blade, he is now one of the fiercest barons in Hell and second to none in the gladiatorial pits. Some ancient tales amongst the angels say his wings and hands had been dyed red with sinner blood long before he fell.

Go on, take the poor sinner's hand (it's not like you have a choice — death will not part you after all~)

No one touches the hunter (You) but Him

[dailyadventureprompts]

Adventure: Along the Road of Nameless Graves

Presiding over a series of forested foothills and mountainous valleys that divide two rival kingdoms, the mist-shrouded barony of Siirvyn has seen more than its share of war over the past generations. Betrayal, invasion, and massacre are all too common motifs in the barony's long history, leaving all sorts of scars on both the landscape and the people who dwell within it.

Adventure Hooks:

Rumours of a treasure draw the party to Siirvyn, apparently concealed in a vault beneath the ruined castle of a long dead baroness Taviaa. Surely it won't be too hard to locate a single ruin in a land frequently beset by war, right?

The party arn't the only one combing across the barony looking for something. A hardluck knight seeks her brother after he vanished on a foolish quest, and might be willing to help the party out of jam if they aid her in search.

Folk of the barony tell of Grimcackle, a great black winged beast that moorlands that's sometimes heard laughing over the desolate battlefields but is only ever seen by the lost and the desperate. To heed the old stories it plunders the old battlefields of it's choicest riches, hoarding the wealth of the dead over centuries of war.

Subquest 1:

The party's hunt for riches gets complicated after arriving in the region to find that there has been no less than eight baroness Taviaas over the past century(backwater fiefdoms do like tradition after all) with five castles between them. Most have been destroyed by disaster, neglect, or siege, leaving the party to trek across the land checking checking out each option (though a clever party might narrow their search by hitting the local archives and cross referencing historical accounts).

Potential ruins include:

The delapidated lair of the local owlbear

Huanted by the ghost of one of the baronesses Taviaa,

The Hideout of a gang of smugglers with far reaching ties

Thoroughly cursed by a battlefield savaging spriggan who deals in cursed weapons.

To make matters even more complicated, one of the castles has been restored by the current baron Arkolo who would likely not take kindly to a band of renegade sellswords pilfering riches from under his nose, forcing the party to avoid it entirely or risk getting thrown in the dungeon if caught.

Subquest 2:

Ser Riley of Breakbridge never expected to inherit the family title, her father favoured her elder brother Rhys far more, and when the old man died in the last war there was no question who his holdings would pass to. Then, a couple of years ago Rhys got it into his head that he needed to reclaim the family's ancestral sword which was lost in the same bloody battle that did their father in, crossing the mountains to scour old battlefields and not being seen since. After righting the mess Rhys caused by his chivalric absence, Riley has come to Siirvyn herself to drag him, or possibly his body back from his foolhardy quest. The party may run into her requesting aid from the Baron, seeking advice from the local shrine to Tyr, or drinking off another unsuccessful trek through the wilderness at the local tavern. She'd welcome their aid in her search, and would gladly pay them back by lending her blade to theirs in their search (or using her influence to spring them from the baron's dungeons, should they have been caught).

Rhys' trail snakes all across the barony (including leaving a journal in one of the ruins the party wanted to search), but terminates in the great barren battlefield that was his father's last stand. While searching these moorlands the party & Ser Riley will run into a band of armed scavengers apparently conducting their own body-hunt for one of their fallen comrades. They served on the opposite side of the war from Riley's family, and if that wasn't bad blood enough, they apparently came to blows with Rhys a little under a year ago and aim to settle the score with his sister.

Regardless of how the standoff plays out (talking the scavengers down and exchanging favours or beating the information out of them) the Next step is to find Grimcackle's nest. By now (especially if you're playing with my affliction system and the party is tired out from all their wandering across the countryside) the party will have realized that the only way to see the great raven is to be nearing the edge of death, whether through actively dying, being poisoned, or just being exhausted to the bone. This is because the great raven is infact a psychopomp, tasked with sorting out the dead from the region's innumerable wars. Once the party find the particular tor the dread raven uses as roost, they'll find him quite chatty in the way of most birds, happy to trade gossip or play show and tell with his many finds. Rhys did indeed come to challenge Grimcackle for the sword, an act of daring rudness that forced the psychopomp to drag the knight's soul to the purgatory it rightfully belonged.

Resigned by the love she bears her brother, Riley insists she must venture into the shadow to save him, leaving the party with the choice of convincing her to abandon her quest, leave her to her fruitless pursuit of honour, or risk it all alongside her for the sake of an idiot who thought he could convince an aspect of death to respect his pedigree.

Subquest 3:

After their harrowing adventure the party return to town to find that Baron Akolo has been assassinated and all of Siivyrn has been thrown into chaos and suspicion. Fingers point and depending who the blame lands on it might spell civil war or invasion for the backwoods barony once again.

Background: Both neighbouring powers wish to control who moves through the region's winding passes, and expend great effort in both war and peace to ensure the barony is favourable to them. While occupying armies and vassalage have been all too common in the past, the region's ostensibly independent ruler Baron Arkolo is a puppet in all but name for the winning side of the most recent war. Little more than a bandit leader during the conflict savaging battlefields and attacking supply lines on both sides, Arkolo saw the way the wind was blowing before anyone else and made himself indispensable to his current patrons before their inevitable victory.

Little more than a strongman at first, the newly elevated baron managed to ingratiate himself to his subjects by leveraging his outlaw status to cast himself as a hero fighting against the great powers rather than ruling on their behalf. All the while the canny old bandit was of course playing both sides, toadying to the victorious kingdom while helping to run the smuggling operation for their rivals.

Clues & Consequences:

The baron had a stormy relationship with his son and prospective heir Kalo, who came up raiding alongside his father. After the war however, the young man felt he'd had enough of violence renounced his possesisons and joined the secluded temple of Tyr as a means of making peace with his bloody past. Arkolo never approved of his son's taking the cloth, refused to name another heir and would frequently make pilgramage to the temple just to argue with him. Despite their years of contention however the had seemed to reconcile in recent months, becoming closer than ever. Kalo is not taking his father's murder well, and has decided to dust off his old bandit skills alongside his newfound connection to a wargod as a means of finding the killer. Like an angered bull, he's liable to charge at whoever draws his attention, a weakness the real culprit might use to direct him onto the party's trail.

Gareth Gosdown, the baron's advisor and castilian is an agent of their patron kingdom, sent to keep the former outlaw in line and the kingdom's garrisons well supplied. In the wake of Arkolo's death, he's less interested in finding the killer than he is reinforcing his masters' hold over the barony in case of a new invasion. Known for butting heads with the Baron's more slapdash ruling style he's the one the common folk are most likely to point to.

Taviaa (ninth of that name) was born to the Baron after he'd claimed the region and married one of the local nobles. Though still young, she has a cutthroat attitude and a mind for politics, which made it all the more frustrating when her father refused to give up on her pious half brother as heir and name her instead. She knows she's the obvious culprit, the case made all the more convincing by the fact that she's recently been paling around with emissaries from the other kingdom.

Art 1

Art 2

[itneverendshere]

THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE - '*•.¸♡ ♡¸.•*' the official playlist '*•.¸♡ ♡¸.•*'

💘for my rafe x maybank!reader lovers💘

there's no right way to listen to these, you can chose however you'd like, these are simply the songs i listened to the most while writing <3

the door - teddy swims

me and my broken heart - rixton

the alchemy - taylor swift

sweat - zayn

tatto - lauren

teeth - 5sos

room - lolo zouai

see you later (ten years) - jena raine

the joke - brandi carlile

high - zella day

it happened quiet - aurora

if the world was ending - jp axe ft julia michaels

golden - riley baron

close to you - gracie abrams

roslyn - cullen

enjoy the ride - riley baron

artificial paradise - vlad holiday

fragile tears - awfultune

i love you - billie eilish

forget me // so we can meet again - kieran mckenzie clark

bitter heart - memi, staffan carlén

persephone - tamino

sweet connection - jessica rica

till forever falls apart - ashe, finneas

treacherous - taylor swift

maps - maroon 5

[bejeweledblondie]

Red Blooded Patriot

Simon “Ghost” Riley x F! Reader

Summary: it’s 1778, the American Revolution is in full effect. Y/N is the daughter of a wealthy land owner & loyalist in New Jersey just right outside New York City. While her father is a loyalist she’s a closeted patriot. During one her home gets caught in the cross fire & she’s rescued by a masked red coat carrying an axe

Warnings: this is just pure filth so idk what warnings to put tbh

Weehawken, New Jersey 1778

There Y/N sat rocking away in her rocking chair overlooking the New York harbor. Fanning herself to keep cool in the heat. She adjusted herself as her corset was starting to create a smaller layer of sweat. It was June, & the humidity was atrocious. A small sigh escaped her lips as she turned to look at her father. The Baron smiled back at his daughter, she was one of the most beautiful women in the colonies. The men in the village would often stop their tasks to watch her walk by. Her innocence was radiating off of her, as she was a newly turned woman. The one thing the Baron was struggling to find was a eligible bachelor for his daughter. Most of men that he found somewhat suitable were dowry chasers. It was causing quite an issue for him as he was getting older & nearly lost his life to the flu last winter.

There moment was interrupted by the sound of canon fire in the harbor. Soon musket fire was heard in the distance. The Baron called out to his workers in the field to drop their tasks & find shelter in the house. He didn’t want any of them losing their lives, some of their servitudes would be paid off shortly & he wanted them to live. Y/N quickly gathered some of the smaller children of the workers & they started to all gather inside the home. Now with a musket in his hand her father made everyone get into the cellar.

“Y/N, my dear,” He said grabbing her head in his hands. “Whatever you do, do not open the door. I’m going to quickly get where I keep the extra gun powder & musket balls.” She nodded & hugged him tightly. Tears were streaming down her rosy cheeks as she watched him leave. The musket fire grew louder & closer. She ran to a window to see what was happening. Crimson red coats started to appear on the wood line. She gasped & watched as some patriots started to run towards the house.

“Dear God.” She whispered as the patriots started break in the door. Absolutely petrified, she took off running towards the kitchen & out the back door. The sound of war was raging behind her & it was deafening. With her skirts in hand she tried to run as fast as she possibly could. She accidentally tripped on the hem of one of her petticoats & fell twisting her ankle. Sobbing out & screaming for help her cries fell on deaf ears. A ragged man in a blue tattered coat appeared out from behind a tree & Y/N spotted him. “Oh sir please help!” She sobbed out. “My ankle I can’t move it.” He had a wicked grin on his face.

“You’re the Baron’s daughter right?” He asked with a wicked tone. A chill ran down her spine, his man was not here to help her.

“Yes.” She replied. “But my ankle sir, please help.” She begged.

“Oh I’ll help with your ankle as long as you help me.” He replied. Her eyes widened knowing what he was insinuating as grabbed his crotch. She let out a ear piercing scream for help as he threw himself on top of her.

Lieutenant Simon “Ghost” Riley had been across the field on horseback when he heard the scream. He had gained quite the reputation over the past year. His nickname, “Ghost” was given to him by the patriots his stealth & aim made him a feared man on the battlefield. He even started to don a mask to help conceal his identity.

“Cmon Riley,” He commanded & his horse took off towards where he had heard the scream. He noticed a couple of yards away a young woman was lying down on the ground. Clearly fearful & trying to fend off the advances of the patriot soldier on top of her. He grabbed the axe he had become infamous for using from his belt. The neigh of his horse drew the attention of both the woman & the patriot soldier. Before the soldier could even react Simon rode up on him & swoop down with the axe hitting him directly in the chest. The woman let out another ear piercing scream as the man’s blood splattered all over her floral dress. The patriot got up stumbling & groaned then lolled over in the grass, axe still in his chest. “Woah, boy.” Simon commanded as he tugged on Riley’s reigns.

Y/N now covered in blood was sobbing even louder. Her ankle was in excruciating pain & she was still trying to process what had happened. She heard the neigh of a horse & looked up. The man who had murdered the patriot was getting off of his horse. Her sobbing grew quieter as she watched him remove the axe from the man’s sternum with a crunch. Then he started to make his way over to her, panic started to course her veins. She tried to get up but groaned out after trying to put pressure on her ankle. With eyes closed she shuttered at that thought she too was to have the bloodied axe lodged in her chest. She felt his presence as he squatted down to look at her. Still shaking from fear, she opened her eyes. The masked red coat was staring right into her eyes.

“Are you alright miss?” He asked out of genuine concern. She shook her head no afraid to speak. “I bear no ill will, I just heard your cry for help & rode over.” He explained.

“Oh thank the lord,” she replied clutching the cross that rested upon her cleavage. “My ankle is broken I believe, I can’t get up.” She stated. The battle seemed to have started to die off as the sounds of musket fire started to dwindled.

“Let me take a look,” he said & grabbed her ankle. She hissed out in pain as he started to twist her ankle to examine it. “It’s not broken thankfully, but it’s definitely sprained.” He explained. “Let me take you the house where we’re being quartered for proper medical aid.” Simon placed the axe in a hostler on his belt & scooped the woman up in his arms. He walked over to were Riley was, Y/N holding her arms around his neck for dear life. He placed her on his saddle sideways then mounted his horse. With one hand on Y/N’s waist & one hand on the reigns they started towards the estate. She blushed how close she was to him, & how his hand held onto her waist so tightly. Y/N was familiar with the estate as it was a friend of her father’s.

Once there Simon hopped off of Riley, & carried Y/N into the house. They were greeted by the gentleman that owned the property & she was immediately brought upstairs to one of the bed chambers. Simon placed her down on the bed & one of the maids started to tend to her.

“I’ll come back up later to see how you’re doing,” He said, & turned away to go back downstairs to brief General Cornwallis.

“Wait,” Y/N choked out. “I never got your name.” He stopped in his tracks & turned around.

“Lieutenant Riley miss,” He replied with a bow. “And you?”

“My name is Y/N L\N.” She replied.

“I’ll be back up just after we’ve finished dinner.” After the maids had gotten her out of the blood stained dress & tended to her ankle they started to draw her a bath. Lord knows she needed one desperately. She needed to wash away whatever she had experienced today, except Simon. The masked lieutenant intrigued her. Being a gentle woman of society she never really had any experience with men other than suitors her father picked out for her. To see a man so rugged but yet so powerful save her swirled around her head.

She rested further up against the cloth draped tub. The view from the bed chamber she was in was immaculate. It overlooked the Hudson River & into Manhattan. Mixed with the candles surrounding her created the perfect ambiance for relaxation. One of the maids came in to pour more hot water into her bath, & even sprinkled in some citrus scent. Y/N was so enamored with the view she didn’t even notice the sound of a knock at the door, & the handle turning.

Simon had just finished his dinner, & had full intentions of going upstairs to check on the woman he had rescued. His fellow officers teased him a bit about his worry, & made crude comments about him deflowering her. He stood at her bed chamber door & knocked. No response. He tried again but again silence. He knew better then to walk in on a lady, but his anxiety was eating him alive to know how she was doing. As soon as he opened the door he regretted it. There was she was admiring the view from her window, naked in a bath tub.

Y/N felt a presence behind her, & thinking it was a maid turned around. To her shock there stood Lieutenant Riley.

“Oh my-“ She gasped & cupped her bare breasts trying to conceal her bosom. She was thankful her bottom half was conceal by the water & tub.

“Oh miss I do apologize.” He stammered out. “I just wanted to see how you were doing. I best be leaving.”

“No wait!” Y/N said & sunk lower into the tub. “Stay, just close the door behind you.” He closed the door & locked the knob then took a seat on the sofa that sat in the middle of the room facing the lit fireplace. He could feel his trousers getting tighter as he took in the sight of the young woman. She looked ethereal like, those Grecian painting of Aphrodite or nymph. “You were right about my ankle. It’s a sprain.” Y/N said. He was still absolutely speechless at the sight in front of him. She rest her arms on the edge of the tub & laid her head down. “Why do you wear that mask?” She asked.

“To conceal my identity,” Simon replied. “I want to leave a peaceful life off the battlefield. I’ve taken many men’s lives in combat & I don’t want to die being avenged for some patriot.”

“I understand,” Y/N replied. “I just wish I could see your face, you saved me I have no one to avenge.” She bit her lip & that nearly set him over the edge.

“That’s true,” Simon replied gulping. “I mean it is kind of hot in here.” He said. “To hell with it.” He said & started to remove the mask some of the strings got tangled & he was clearly struggling to undo the knots.

“Come her silly,” She said & motioned for him to come over. Simon walked over to the tub trying to not look over the edge & kneeled down with his back turned to her. She very easily undid each knot & finally the mask was removed. He turned around & she let out a quiet gasp.

“What?” He replied confused as to what she was gasping at. His dirty blonde hair was all messed up & his cerulean eyes started back at her. She ran a wet hand over his cheek.

“You’re very handsome.” She replied blushing, taking in her very vulnerable state. Simon still fully dressed in his officers uniform & her nude as the day she was born. “Why don’t you join me?” She asked motioning to the tub. Her boldness surprised the both of them. It was almost as if Aphrodite herself took over.

“Oh I can’t-“ Simon started. He was cut by her standing up displaying her full wet figure to him. Her breasts were so plump & round they sat beautifully on her chest. His eyes trailed down to her well kept pubic area & took in the sight of her pussy. She grabbed one of his hands and placed it on her left breast.

“I want you to join me.” She said & squeezed his hand on her breast. He pulled his hand away & started to take off his boots then the rest of his officers uniform. He climbed into the bath & took in the hot water. Hell he couldn’t remember the last time he took a hot bath, even the officers for the British army weren’t granted the luxury of hot bath water. Y/N scooted over towards him & he placed his hands on her waist pulling her in against his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck & pulled him in for a deep kiss. His manhood was resting up against her inner thigh & was teasing her with every little movement. When they both came up for air she decided to drop the bombshell.

“Lieutenant, there’s something you should know,” she started. “I’m a virgin.” He was surprised she was a wealthy young woman who was waiting for a man to be suitable for her father. The most she had probably done was kiss a man.

“That’s alright,” he replied. “But do you want this?”

“Yes,” She replied softly kissing him again. He brought one hand down to start playing with her pussy. A soft moan escaped her lips at the new sensation. “What are you doing?” She gasped out.

“I’m getting you ready for me,” he replied. “It’ll hurt more if I don’t darling.” He pushed one finger into her virgin cunt & started to pump. She whimpered into his shoulder & gripped into his biceps.

“Lieutenant, Christ.” She moaned. He kept pumping his finger in & out then added a second one. She let out an even louder whimper & he clamped a hand over her mouth.

“We can’t have that love now can we?” He asked. “Lord knows what they’d all do if they knew I was about to deflower you.” He pulled his fingers out & then helped her adjust her hips so it was right over his cock. “Now you still want to do this?” He asked for reassurance.

“Yes, I want this,” she whispered.

“It may hurt a bit love,” He explained. “We’ll take it little by little, okay?” She nodded in reply. He held his cock straight & helped her push down slowly. The pressure & the wonderful ache between her legs was euphoric. A small whimper escaped her lips as little by little she sank lower. Then they reached her hymen. “This may hurt the most love.” He said as he felt he barrier. “Remember little by little.” Slowly she felt him pop her cherry. She felt her barrier rip causing a painful sensation to shoot through her body. Her head was practically hidden in Simon’s neck as he finally pushed all the way in.

“You’re so big, Jesus.” She mumbled into his neck. He chucked a bit at her comment causing a vibrating sensation to make his cock twitch in her.

“I’m going to start moving you up & down love,” He said & slowly started to pull her up & down on his cock. The tight sensation of her virgin pussy made him grit his teeth. “Sweet mother of Mary.” He hissed as she slowly bounced up & down. The water around them sloshed the more she moved. His eyes darted down to her chest were her breasts were bouncing up & down. He brought his hands up to them & started to play with them. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head at the new sensation.

“You close love?” He asked as he took in the view of her. Her body radiated under the candle light.

“Oh God yes,” She sighed. “I’m about to-“ She cut herself off as she released all over him. He kept bouncing her up & down helping her through her orgasm.

“Darling I’m close to,” He grunted. It had been months since he had been with a woman, let alone a virgin. She was squeezing him so tightly. “Lord I’m about to release as well.” He groaned. He felt his cock start to twitch inside of her as he painted her cervix white. She fell into his chest & he wrapped his armed around her. They both smiled at each other & share little intimate kisses.

“Miss I have some warm water oh my-,” One of the maids started as she walked in on you two. “Oh I’ll be back later.” She said clearly embarrassed by intruding & closed the door. The two of you started to laugh a little at the situation.

“The whole house will know what we’ve done by the morning.” Simon stated.

“Oh why’s that?” Y/N asked.

“She’s a terrible gossip.” He replied kissing her shoulder.

[twstbookclub]

Faded Away

SLIGHT SPOILERS FOR BOOK 7 INCLUDED; THIS IS AN AU. THIS IS SIDE A OF A TWO PART STORY. HERE IS SIDE B.

This is side A.

Inspired by Fade Away by Riley Baron Summary: Childhood friends with Malleus, you were even supposed to marry him. You'd call him your fiancé, but he'd shoot you down with a smile. One day, Maleficia would announce that you would no longer be engaged to Malleus, but you had already decided to renounce that before, so it was okay. For Malleus, after experiencing loss in his life, everything he adored before began to fade away. Pronouns: Gender Neutral POV: 2nd Admin/Writer: Kai⚔️ Tags: Malleus Draconia, Changed fate, Childhood friends to lovers, lovers to strangers, angst with a sad ending, hurt no comfort Word count: 3,961

A/N: … sigh. If someone had told me a year ago that I would write nearly 4,000 words for Malleus Draconia angst, I would've laughed in their face. Despite that, I wrote this for two days and edited it for another two. I fixated on this man for FOUR DAYS nonstop, listening to playlists about falling in love with your comfort character but then saying goodbye, and I am still not done. I am genuinely proud of this work. Out of the 7 years I have been writing fanfiction, I have never been so happy to say this is one of my best works. And I don't really like Malleus like that. Attack me all y'all want, I know book 7 spoilers, and I was his stan(not simp) until I found out the truth and had to take a step BACK. I don't know what I feel about him now, but as a Silver girlie, I need someone to take the pen away from Yana Toboso.

Regardless of my feelings, I am glad I could write this and that the story turned out amazing. As I said, I'm not done, and I have another fic posting as soon as this one drops, so don't stray too far.

On that note, thank you for waiting and reading this long, longer than I would like to admit story. Enjoy.

The horns of this child were small, but the eyes of another child were fascinated at the sight of such a mature boy. The boy’s name was Malleus Draconia, the future King of Briar Valley. You were told that you would become his fiance when you grew up. You could feel your heart instantly pound and become fond of this young royal. You had already known him prior, growing up around the same time, and your families were somewhat close. Still, you couldn’t have imagined being able to marry him later down the line. He was aloof and neutral as a child, speaking to you when you would talk to him and only if he had a response. You loved him that way, anyway. 

“You’re my… fiance?” 

“I am! Don’t worry; I won’t go anywhere if it’s not with you!”

“Hmm… Then I can accept that.”

Growing up as teenagers was slightly different. It took some years, but he would begin to warm up to you. He would smile occasionally and accept the way you would call him “my fiance”, but still turn you down for the time being. Witnessing him become stressed caused a pang of guilt in your heart. Still, you’d quickly dissipate the feeling by messing around and seeing him feel better with your company.

“My fiance should be calm the way he usually is. How can his kingdom stay calm if he is not?”

Malleus would usually stare at you after you said things like that, then respond with, “You’re right… Alright. I will do that, but I’m not your fiance.”

Then, like clockwork, you’d laugh at him before responding, “Okay, okay, Prince Malleus. Whatever you say.”

Now, Malleus finally returned from studying at Night Raven College and settled back into his past routine. It took some months, since now there were new things he needed to learn before he could become king. He would follow without a complaint, though.

He was standing in a throne room, checking on documents and plans for the kingdom. You would simply trot in with your hands behind your back as you would often do, admiring him as your shoes would click against the floor.

“My fiance is working so hard already?” You teased, being playful and wanting to catch his attention.

“I’m not your fiance.” Malleus would say with a concentrated tone, his gruff voice echoing through the large room as the sound of documents being flipped echoed. 

“Right. King Malleus.” You stopped walking to give him a bow and then approached his side. You moved your hand to cling to his arm, but knowing your behavior, he already had an arm out for you.

“Not king either. I haven’t had my coronation yet. Queen Malecifia is planning that as we speak,” Malleus spoke again, then set down the documents and turned to you, his hair slightly swaying with his movement. His green eyes stared down at you, and then he captured a slight smile on his lips. “What is it that you need from me?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to see you and waste your time. I truly hope I am a bother,” you spoke playfully and took one of the loose documents into your hands to read through it. Malleus quickly took the paper before you could get too far into reading it. Right. Kingdom affairs.

Malleus gives you a look before sighing and pulling a chair out. “If I let you touch my horns, could you let me work?” He spoke, moving to sit down beside where you were standing. You grew excited at the opportunity to play with his horns and instantly went quiet to do so. You stood behind him and carefully adjusted his hair while examining every detail of the feature in front of you.

The atmosphere was quiet yet peaceful. Time felt like it was still, pen scratching paper occasionally sounds through the large room. Your hands gently held his horns, caressing them to remind yourself of its sharp and enticing structure.

Memories of childhood played through your mind as you watched him read these documents, soft breaths coming from him as his focus never broke. You did this exact thing all the time with him, especially during his study hours.

“Why do you like my horns so much?” Malleus spoke, suddenly breaking the silence and surprising you out of your trance. You thought about it momentarily, trying to find the right words to explain it, but you couldn't find a single word for how. Instead, you explained it the best you could. 

“Hmm… I don’t know. There’s something about seeing these horns that gives me some reassurance. Relief that I can still be your future beloved.” you answered before fixing his hair again. Messing with him like this felt right. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, being his future partner was something of fate. There were others out there with royal status just like you. Queen Maleficia could’ve replaced or sent you away, but she hadn’t. You were thankful every time you saw his grandmother.

“I see… You’re an odd one,” Malleus spoke softly, a faint breath being heard from him as he felt your hands let go of him. “You let go. Is something the matter?”

Malleus noticed you stayed quiet but didn’t hear you move either. So, he turned around, his breath catching at what he saw. His eyes were met with your side profile, your lips curling into a grin. Your eyes reflected the light like glass, and your hands fell to his shoulders.

“It’s the first snow of the season,” you said, mesmerized by the view. Your quiet voice showed just how enchanted you were. Malleus had an idea of how others felt about the first snow. All he took in from when you explained the moment to him was how special it could be for lovers.

Every time the first snow would fall, he’d watch from the window of his study how you admired the snowflakes as if you’d never seen them before. He watched you do this for years as if it was routine. Hell, it would be weird if he didn’t see you out there. 

Malleus took your wrist and made his way out towards the courtyard. He’s the one taking you out there this time? You could only follow and keep your excitement at bay from his behavior.

Arriving outside, Malleus fixed your winter cape, ensuring you wouldn’t feel too cold. He leaned against a wall as you played and tried to catch the snowflakes. Your smile was as bright as the white sky, and he would just stand there, watching you without a word, but more as if he was in thought. 

You noticed this and took a moment to gather some snow from the ground, putting it behind your back before moving towards him. “Are you alright? You seem to be lost in thought,” you asked, making him snap out of his trance to look at you. 

“I’m fine. I’m simply reminded of my time at the college from seeing all this snow. Why do you a—” 

Crunch.

He sighed, keeping his eyes closed before saying one thing. “... Why?’

Malleus was cut off by the impact of a snowball hitting his face. The icy crystals caused his skin to feel colder than it already was. He wiped the snow off his face as he witnessed you begin to back away. Every step back from you was a step forward for him, and you noticed how he had a straight-faced expression. You laughed nervously and grabbed his wrists, trying to hold him back.

“I just wanted to get your attention, Malleus!” You tried to explain, yelping when he would tower over you, but you would only find it all amusing. Malleus would chuckle, grabbing and throwing snow at you, not aiming for your face like you had done to him. 

This went on for a few minutes, enjoying the back-and-forth attacks, while the snow piled onto the ground through the mid-winter day. At one point, Malleus would grab you by the waist to keep you from straying too far away from him. The gesture felt nice, but also intimate as he’d only do this to stop you from being clumsy.

You held onto his arms and stepped back slowly, moving towards a stone pillar, while your eyes didn’t leave him. You glanced between his eyes, lips, and the horns you loved seeing. Even after he held you against the cold stone, there wasn’t anything to worry about, but him.

You felt nervous while giving his arms a light squeeze, and he carefully brushed his cold fingertips against your cheek, making you relax with your head leaning into his slight touch. Soon, his hand cupped your cheek to tilt your head, keeping you in place this time.

Finally, your eyes stayed on his lips. His green eyes admired your features to remember them down to the last detail. Your mingled breaths hit each other’s faces from the close proximity, then Malleus leaned close, his lips inching closer to yours.

It was cut short, though. You turned to the sound of someone clearing their throat, but your body would stop what it was doing and let go of Malleus, instantly bowing at the sight of a familiar lady.

Malleus would turn around next. His breathing was slightly uneven from getting caught in the act, but he’d still bow and greet the woman in the courtyard with them.

“Queen Maleficia, what brings you out here during this weather?” Malleus began first, slowly coming up with you to stand correctly.

“It is good to see you, Queen Maleficia.” You followed after, giving Malleus’s grandmother a warm smile.

“Not much, my dear. I’m glad to see you taking a break,” Maleficia returned the greeting and gave a smile as well. She’d soon drop that expression, though. “I need to speak to you about something important.”

Your body would tense up again, and you took that as a cue to leave them alone, so you bowed and took a step forward. “I’ll leave you be, then—”

“You aren’t going anywhere. You are part of this too.” Maleficia spoke earnestly, and she rarely had to speak in such a way to you. The last time you heard those words was when she scolded you and Malleus for disappearing to Lilia’s home.

Those words always made you nervous, especially since they usually meant something was wrong. You could only turn around and smile again.

“Right. I apologize for my assumption, Your Majesty,” you said carefully, instantly seeing Malleus turn to you with a look of curiosity.

Standing before Queen Maleficia, now in her study, you held your hands as Malleus stood near the high bookshelves. His grandmother stared out of her window briefly before taking a breath.

“Malleus.” Queen Maleficia began to speak, turning around to face you and Malleus somberly. “Your coronation is being planned, as you know, but something must be done before you can become king. You know what that is, correct?”

Malleus grew confused, but his eyes would widen slightly once he understood. “Marriage. What of it?”

As soon as Malleus answered, the woman would look towards you and smile lightly. “That’s correct. What do you plan to do about that?”

You stare at Malleus briefly before looking at Maleficia again, then smile softly. “I do want to marry the prince. That has not changed since we were children.”

Maleficia looked away from you, and then she made her way to stand in front of you. “That, my child, is what I can no longer allow. I am sorry.” 

Your eyes widened, and you saw Malleus perk up at the corner of your eye. He was shocked as well. “What…?” Is that the only thing you could say?

“What are you talking about?” Malleus sounded off. You couldn’t look at him. Your eyes would stay on the Queen before you, still in disbelief. 

“This is the best course of action. Forgive me, my child.”

“Queen M—No. Grandmother, what in the world are you referring to? Answer me!” Malleus began to demand, moving you back and getting ahead of Maleficia.

“Malleus, believe me, this was not easy.”

“I did not ask if it was easy. I did not ask if you’ve thought of this for weeks or months. I asked for an explanation, grandmother,” Malleus spoke sternly, going against Maleficia, which he had not done before. Maleficia was growing angry, but she remained calm regardless.

“I am doing this for you, for the kingdom of Briar Valley; to end a war before it could begin. You will do your duty as the future ruler of this kingdom.”

“You think the kingdom can decide who will be my partner in marriage for the rest of my life? You did that when I was a child! I went along with it and accepted it the first time as it was!” Malleus also grew angry at the way the events were unfolding. He had accepted everything without complaint, but he couldn’t keep his mouth shut this time. This isn’t what he wanted.

“Now, Queen Maleficia, you wish to choose someone new? Someone I haven’t known my entire life and someone I cannot trust?”

“You will understand that as the future king. You do not need them as your fiance, and that is final. You will be marrying someone from another kingdom to stop us from going to war.” Maleficia had grown strict, firm even. Anyone else wouldn’t dare argue, not even you. You could only stay quiet from the words you were hearing. Your heart began to feel heavy from guilt as if it were a burden.

“What good will that do!? I do not need someone to help me run my life or the kingdom that will be under my wing some time from now!”

“I did it for you! I do not wish to see you become like your parents! You are my only grandson, and I lost your mother to war and the son, your father, I never had just before that. I raised you! Lilia and I were the ones who kept you alive. So, as your grandmother, I want you to keep yourself safe. Do this for yourself.” Maleficia was like a pleading mother. She needed Malleus to understand.

It was all so confusing to you. Malleus was trying to fight, but was it for you or him? Was it for his freedom? Did he love you? No. That couldn’t be it. You had to do something before he would do something drastic. You had to stop him before he could argue more.

Silence. 

Your hand wrapped around his own. Malleus froze from the sudden touch. “It’s okay,” you began softly, putting on a smile before looking up at Malleus.

The touch reminded you of when you snuck into his study as a teenager. You felt stressed once due to your studies and responsibilities becoming a large pile, and Malleus would hold your hand to put you at ease. He helped you with your studies by tutoring and keeping you focused, but concentrating was still difficult with your distant lover just inches away from you during that time. 

That short-lived memory was enough to make you agree to this. You loved him, but it was confusing. He was distant, but sometimes not. You loved him, but it was time. 

“Hey, Malleus?”

“Hmm?”

“What would it be like if I was only your friend, but never your fiance?”

A young Malleus had to think about that, but only one answer came to his mind.

“I would’ve figured out how to become your fiance again.”

Back to the decision before you, you smiled more before looking at Maleficia and squeezing Malleus’ hand lightly.

“I understand, Queen Maleficia. I apologize for no longer meeting your expectations,” you said respectfully. Malleus stared down at you with wide eyes, his hand starting to squeeze yours while it was still in his grasp.

“Don’t say that. You don’t need to do that—”

You shook your head and looked at him, clenching your free hand around his arm to cling to him. “I… wanted to talk to you, anyway. I’d call you my fiance, but you always turned me down. You said you simply accepted the necessity of my obligation as your lover. Now that we have to say our goodbyes, it worked out fine, did it not? I won’t fuss about this decision, as I have no say in the kingdom’s political matters. So, I will simply wish you happiness and good fortune in your marriage, Prince Malleus.”

“What are you talking about? You don’t know a thing.” Malleus whispered and took both of your hands into his, trying to keep himself calm in the midst of all of the mess. “I only rejected you because I wanted to properly propose to you. Only at the right moment between us and—”

“Hey… you don’t have to say any of that. You don’t need to. This is your kingdom. I am simply someone who had to be your lover.” Those words hurt for you to say, and Malleus looked… scared for once. In the time that you’d ever known him, he was the only person you loved. Malleus couldn’t let go of your hand or look away from you. You would disappear, he felt. Hearing those words come out of your mouth was painful enough as is.

You could only give him a bitter smile and force him to let go. “It’s okay. You’ll be okay,” you whisper and bow to Maleficia, then to Malleus. “Thank you. If you’ll excuse me.”

You smile once more before swiftly leaving before anything else could happen. The longer you walked, the more your legs felt like jelly. You didn’t know where you were going, but you just wanted to leave. You wanted nothing more but to go back and take back your words. To fight for Malleus. Yet, you would never go against the crown. 

Malleus simply stood there in disbelief with his eyes glued to the door. Maleficia reached out to her grandson, but as soon as her hand landed on his shoulder, he slapped it off. He looked at his grandmother with a look of nothing. Agony. A heart-wrenching anguish clouded his mind and judgment once you had left the room. 

He didn’t want the touch of anyone else but you. How could he lose you so easily? His whole life, he had always gotten what he wanted. Yet, the one time he asked, begged, and pleaded for something in his life, it was stripped away right before his fingertips. Malleus’ body was on auto-pilot from the harsh reality. Then, he moved out of the study, but when he looked up, his body froze at the sight of you running out of the castle.

It was all his fault. He didn’t fight hard enough. Now, he had lost you. How could the Seven betray him so? He never thought that it would be so easy to leave him. To abandon the memories just because someone else requested it.

Once you felt the harsh wind and snow, your eyes began to water. Soon, your heavy breaths turned into heaving sobs. Before you knew it, you found yourself in the forest. How did you even get here? How far did your tired legs get you? What torture could you endure in this state? Then…

Every memory with Malleus started to flash through your head.

Every dance.

Every laugh.

Every touch.

Every look.

Everything. 

Your heaving sobs became screams of heartbreak. Agonized cries echoed throughout the quiet and dark forest of Briar Valley. You couldn’t feel the cold anymore. The cold didn’t matter when it felt like you left a piece of yourself in the castle. 

Malleus leaned against the wall from the window that he watched you disappear from, closing his eyes when he could hear your cries despite how far you actually were. He couldn’t do anything to fix it this time, not when you were convinced.

Meeting his new fiance was unbearable for Malleus, but he tolerated it. He never remembered any interaction he had with the woman he was supposed to marry now. The wedding was memorable for everyone but him, and you weren’t there. He knew you wouldn’t be there, but he would still smile to himself when he remembered things.

But then it wasn’t too long, maybe a couple of years, until the kingdom celebrated Malleus and his coronation. Everyone with royal status and Malleus' close friends were invited to the after-party celebration. You went alone and stood on the balcony outside, listening to everyone enjoy their festivities. You hadn’t heard about Malleus since you last stepped foot here. It felt like forever ago.

“I didn’t think you would show up. Not after what happened the last time.”

The familiar voice made you perk up and turn around, seeing his tall figure standing at the curtain’s frame. You stood at the stone barricade and smiled slightly at Malleus, bowing to him.

“I didn’t think you would seek my company, King Malleus.”

“That title sounds… weird coming from you,” he admitted, making you both laugh. You look at the horizon to watch the setting sun, going quiet along with him. You had to break the silence.

“So, how are you and your queen?” You asked, causing Malleus to look at you. 

“She is fine. She’s expecting, so she’s taking care of herself instead,” Malleus said, being careful with his words, but you wanted to hide behind your old, playful attitude.

“You were quite fast, weren’t you?” You responded with a laugh, but you could feel your heart breaking already.

“It’s been about two years since we last conversed. I don’t think that’s too fast,” Malleus spoke casually, but you would notice how he looked at you somberly, almost as if he didn’t like it as much as you did.

“I see. I wish the Queen and your child a safe and easy journey.” You said quietly, sounding a bit melancholic. You had to force those words out, and Malleus simply nodded to accept your wishes.

His look made you narrow your eyes towards the ground, not wanting to look at him as you knew it would only cause you more heartbreak.

“Malleus…” You called out quietly, sighing and leaning against the stone.

“Don’t say anything,” he whispered, looking out into the horizon just like you did moments ago.

After a few minutes of silence, the sun had finally set, turning the sky dark with the moon’s light shining down on you and Malleus.

“Thank you,” you broke the silence first amidst the faint clamor of festivities behind you, “for the chance to be with you for so long.”

Malleus looked at you,  then you looked at him in return. These looks turned into stares. Stares felt like time froze. It was you and him again, and you wouldn’t want it any other way.

You engraved the details of his face into your head, and he was doing the same for you. When he broke the silence, the bubble around you two still hadn’t popped. 

“You were a wonderful experience,” he said sincerely, giving you a smile.

You smiled back, but before you could respond, others called Malleus over. He tried to stay there, but he was forced away. He was only able to take one more look at you before he disappeared. He faded away like a light swallowed by a deep darkness, which was so strange. It was only a change. 

You still kept your smile after he left. Now, you could say what you wanted.

“You were… everything.”

[uwmspeccoll]

Milestone Monday

On this day, October 7 in 1849, American writer, poet, and humorist James Whitcomb Riley (1849–1916) was born in Greenfield, Indiana. Know as the "Hoosier Poet," Riley helped to establish a Midwestern literary identity.

To commemorate this milestone, we present some pages from Nye and Riley's Railway Guide, which Riley wrote with fellow Midwestern humorist Edgar W. Nye (1850-1896), published in Chicago by the Dearborn Publishing Company in 1888. In 1885, Riley and Nye formed a partnership and began touring the country to give joint presentations. This book, produced during their touring days, is a collection of humorous anecdotes and poems intended to parody popular tourist literature of the day, and was successful enough to go through at least three reprints.

Most of the illustrations shown here are by American cartoonist Walt McDougall (1858-1938), but the book includes illustrations by several other artists, including Baron de Grimm and Eugene Zimmerman.

View other Milestone Monday posts.