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buckysunshine · 5 months ago

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i got my eye on you – house of the dragon

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x fem!reader

Warnings: Smut (18+) ! Targcest/Targaryen Incest (Uncle/Niece), Enemies to Lovers, Denial of feelings, explosion of feelings, vaginal fingering.

Synopsis: Sixteen hours and six days were all it took for you to have everything Aemond had wanted. A dragon, a mother's unconditional love, a brother that actually cares and gives a shit. Sixteen hours and six days were all it took to hate you.

At the return of the blacks, the princess is transformed, and the hate swirling in Aemond’s gut is replaced with something different, something new.

Word Count: 2.6K

Sixteen hours. That was how long Rhaenyra labored to bring you into this world. With blood came the heir's only daughter, a spitting image of her mother yet contrasted by the colors of the father. A princess. Another bastard.

Six days. That's how long you stayed in the babe's cradle until the hatching of your dragon egg. Arrax.

Sixteen hours and six days were all it took for you to have everything Aemond had wanted. A dragon, a mother's unconditional love, a brother that actually cares and gives a shit.

Sixteen hours and six days were all it took to hate you.

Living in a den of vipers taught you more than the books you were forced to read. You were a princess, the daughter of the realm's heir, yet they treat you as the scum of a mare's back disguised in petty smiles and hidden whispers.

Early on, you learned you only had your family to depend on. Not your uncles. They always liked to inflict the most pain. Helaena was always sweet, but the queen made sure to isolate her from you and your family.

But your greatest tormentor came in the form of purple eyes and silver hair. Aemond Targaryen.

He was always there to plague you no matter how nice you've been or how little you were. Eyes distant and cold, and on you at all times. You could never escape it; thus, it only made sense that you were the one to take his eye on that fateful night. You – the object of his ire, the thief who stole his eye. You tell yourself it was to protect your brother, but deep down, it was also to break free of his punishing stares.

Aemond Targaryen was not the only person who changed from that moment. The day you took his eye was the day you gained your own courage.

"Enjoy it, uncle. The next time you see me, my mother will wear the crown, and your family will be set aside to return to your little green towers." You speak brazenly atop Arrax at the hour of your departure to Dragonstone. He may have Vhagar, but the true power belongs to the heir of the Iron Throne.

Your last words to the one-eyed second son rang in his ears for the rest of his days, fueling the bitter craving for revenge in his heart.

"You'll cut yourself." The rogue prince's warning makes you jump away from the valyrian steel. "Careful."

You've sneaked a glance at dark sister. The prince consort was rarely without it, so the one chance you see it abandoned, you gather up the courage to hold it even for a second. It felt like the blade was calling to you; surely, it was the voices of the lives taken by the age-old steel.

Daemon takes the steel in his hand, wielding it easily. You watch his every move, utterly fascinated. Daemon sees the spark of ambition in your eyes. It's the same spark that flamed within him in his early years.

"Ever used a blade?"

"Only one time when I took an eye."

Daemon grinned, passing the steel to you. He could work with that. "Not a bad start.”

Dark Sister felt heavy in your hands, but it was also oddly familiar. It felt right to hold it. You were a Targaryen, after all, and coupled with the strong genes of your father, it was no trouble to handle a sword. You were a quick learner, and Daemon took delight in training you, gender norms be damned.

This would have never happened in the Red Keep. The only place for you there were the quilting room and the birthing bed. Ser Criston Cole would have never allowed you to step foot in his training grounds, and you would have never had the courage to try.

Ever since you left for Dragonstone, your courage grew day by day, and with Daemon at your side, it flamed anew.

But all that courage faltered at the news of Vaemond Velaryon's challenge to Lucery's inheritance to Driftmark.

Vaemond did not scare you, but the thought of returning to King's Landing and meeting a purple eye did.

Aemond Targaryen had never waited for a day like this.

The blacks’ return shall be met with the green's first strike. His nephew is possibly disinherited; most importantly, he gets to prove you wrong. He waits to see you again so he could inject the fear that always made you shrink in his gaze. The years had made him hard, brutish. He and Vhagar are alike in more ways than the valyrian blood that flows in them.

Aemond's eye finds you immediately. Surrounded by your family, you seemed small but grown, more mature. Your dress is filled better by newly developed curves. Your locks remained ever dark, and it gives Aemond a reminiscence of a dark-haired woman plaguing his dreams as of late. Ever since he heard the news of your return, his dreams have been nothing but hazy images of dark hair that makes him wake with a hard cock.

He ignores it.

Your families don't have time to reunite as the unforgiving court awaits. You don't make the effort to find your uncles either, though you did send a warm smile to your aunt. You ignore them, and it makes Aemond itch. He longs to see the fire in your eyes so he could squash and spit on it.

Vaemond Velaryon speaks, and he loses his head.

Aemond is no stranger to bloodshed, relishes in it even. An unexpected similarity between you.

It does not miss him when you don't flinch at the brutal slash, only moving to cover your younger brother, Joffrey. You watch the blade slash clean through flesh with a fervid gaze, and it gives Aemond surprise, his interest piqued.

"Seems like you're wrong, princess."

You were a hard one to track alone. Always surrounded by your pesky brothers, Aemond awaited the chance to corner you. He finds it fitting to find you in the dragon pit. You endured the tense family dinner, playing oblivious to the one purple eye peering over you, and once the feasting had ended, you were gone. Not in your chambers or even the grounds of the Red Keep. You escaped to the skies, flying Arrax till late at night. You needed the reprieve, and you wished you were back there again the moment you landed with Aemond already waiting for your alighting.

"Uncle." You greeted him, shedding your riding gloves off. He is taller now, more slender, and his face matured with the scar you left him with. Shame, he could have been handsome.

You walk, and Aemond is at your tail. He starts his taunting.

"We meet, and yet no crown on your mother's head, and our family's roots are still deep within these courts."

"I am grateful for our king's long life." You say, eyes blank, straight ahead. You're being polite. Your mother's words of peace ring in your ears, and it takes all your effort to maintain niceties. Aemond sees right through it.

"There is only us. You can speak plainly." He clasps his arms behind his back, unbothered. "The king is dying and should have died long ago."

"Must you be so cruel?”

"I only speak the truth." He is close behind, leaning down to mutter in your ear. "Last time I recall, it is not a crime to do so. Well, should not be treated as such anyway." He says slyly, laying down his bait for you to take.

"I was a kid, Aemond. Must you torment me all my life?" You bite, stopping in your tracks and facing him completely with fire in your eyes. The years of guilt and vexing rifts at your resolve. The man always knew how to push your buttons.

Ah, there she is. Aemond flashes a condescending smile just for a second before slipping back into his usual glare. "You know what I want. Justice."

"Then so be it." You pull out your sword, the same one Daemon gifted you years ago. It was smaller than the standard fighting swords, for it was only supposed to be used in training, but you don't care. A sword is a sword. You've done worse with smaller ones.

"Here's your justice. Try to take out my eye. I'll allow your efforts. Take my eye and be done with all these bother.”

Aemond stares at you delightfully surprised before drawing his own sword out. You dare? He answers. The years in Dragonstone changed you, no more the little girl he could torment and plague back in the Red Keep. He is made clear of it. The girl standing before him is a dragon, a warrior, a Targaryen. A predator to be conquered.

"Today is a good day for justice."

He swings, and steels meet.

It was a dance between two dragons, and the sound of swords clashing against each other played the music to every spin and sway. It was a dance, and Aemond hated how you were leading.

Honed by the rogue prince, you've learned how to put up a good fight and sniff out an opponent's weak points. You detect Aemond's obvious weakness – his blind side. You focus your attacks on his left side, taking advantage of his every crux. He underestimated you, your hits stronger than he expected. He stumbles at your strike, aim focused on his left shoulder.

But Aemond is no fool on the battlefield. He also paid his dues in his training with Ser Criston Cole. The man might be vile, but there is no denying the knight is the most skillful swordsman alive in King's Landing. Aemond's skills are beaten into him in the most literal sense, the years of cuts and bruises shaping him into the warrior he is now. It was no match to your little lessons, no matter how fast of a learner you might be. Aemond is still stronger, faster.

And with a swing to your leg and a precise hit to your wrist, your blade flies away from you. Unarmed, the older boy takes the chance to seize you.

You take the hit head on, grunting at the weight of him knocking you down.

Pinned on the ground, bladeless and pregnable, Aemond's steel rests snug against your neck. The music has stopped. You've lost.

"Beg." Steel presses further into skin. "Beg for mercy."

"No." you spat, ever so stubbornly. A dragon does not beg.

Aemond's nostrils flare at your defiance, a thousand emotions brewing in his chest. He has wanted this for so long, yet he finds himself stalling for time.

Despite your loss, you weren't giving up. Aemond always hated how stubborn you could be, so careless, yet protected and loved even as a bastard. Aemond could do everything right, yet his father would not even spare him a glance unless he found himself in some sort of trouble, and Alicent shared the family's burden with him, depriving him of the innocence of childhood. But you had your dragon the day you were born, showered with love and affection.

Spoiled. Ungrateful.

In his resentment, he cuts skin, drawing blood. "Don't think I won't do it. You know I would."

You refuse to wince from the pain, eyes locked in and determined. "I fought, and I lost. I'm true to my word. Take my eye now. Take your prize." You turn your head, presenting him the left side of your face. "Is that not what you want, uncle? Or do you plan to bitch and whine to me for the rest of your days?"

"I want… nothing!"

Throwing his blade away, you're finally given a chance to breathe. Still on top, he looks down on you. Aemond has you at the bottom of his feet, to do what he wants, to take what he is robbed of, yet he finds himself at pause. He wanted an eye, and now he yearns for more.

As he watched your face, cheeks turning delightfully pink, and chest heaving, the strangest thing happened. Aemond felt something squeeze suspiciously in his chest at the thought of you exposed and vulnerable to him.

He realized he wanted you. He really, really wanted you.

Only then did the feeling of hatred in his gut turn to something different. It swirled anew — to desire.

Aemond Targaryen desires for the niece under him.

Oh.

With this revelation, he starts seeing the image in his dreams clearly. His conscience is plagued by the woman of dark hair and milky skin he's been dreaming of, the cause of his seed spilling on his thighs in the morning. It was you.

With the veil of denial finally lifted, he leans down and captures your mouth, pouring every bit of frustration and newly found desire into your kiss. Your hands raise to push him off, but he pins them down easily. Warm lips lock onto yours, forcing your mouth to yield to his demand and, eventually, your own visceral need. Unrelenting, your defiance quickly faded, and your tongue started meeting his as well. Heat dances in your chest and straight down the apex of your thighs.

You've been kissed before, kissed sweetly, softly, but never like this. This was different; this was hungry, consuming, punishing. Aemond's kiss triggers a primal craving in your flesh; it refuses your mind's reason entirely.

Shifting above you, Aemond parts your legs, planting himself between your thighs. You feel the hard ridge of him pressing against your clothed core, and you undoubtedly grind against it.

His body – Gods. It is evil how it was pressed against yours, the heat of it seeping through your clothing, searing your very soul.

He made you shiver. He made you melt.

Aemond gropes your breast, dipping down to nip at the neck he just pressed a blade against moments ago. "I want you."

Aemond always told the truth, an ideology planted in his head by his devoted mother, but it is only now he felt the peace a person should feel when telling the truth.

Aemond’s tongue traces a map of pleasure on your skin, fueling a need you never knew. He chants your name, groaning at every repeat. His lips move frantically along your face until they find your mouth again. “I need you.” He pressed his hips hotly against yours. “Do you feel how I need you?”

Your fingers tangle in his silver hair, making it undone from its restraints; you grip it, urging for more.

"What is it? Take what you want." He yearns to hear your voice, hear you beg for him.

He pulls away, and you whine at the loss. "Use your words, princess. Tell me what you want.”

You're faced with Aemond's face atop of yours, and unthinking, you take it in your hands. He leans in, hanging on to your next words.

Your lips hover over each other, and with a whisper, you say, "No."

Aemond's face breaks into a grin, a deep chuckle escaping him. Your heart stutters at the image of a genuine smile on the prince's face. It was a rare thing, and you don't know what to do with it.

Distracted, his fingers find your thighs, squeezing them hard before delving further. You gasp when he presses at the burning between your legs.

"Now is not the time for your stubbornness, sweet niece."

Aemond quickly breaks through the layers of cloth separating him from your sensitive skin. It was embarrassing how easily he found the wetness waiting for him. But Aemond relishes at the feel of them, the thought of your excitement feeding his desire. His fingers play at your folds, sliding easily. He circles at your center, noticing how your moans become louder when he touches you there. He watches your every expression, determined to pluck your pleasure from you. You looked too pretty with your lips red and puffy, but your unscarred skin calls to be dirtied by him.

He leans down to nip at the skin of your jaw, then to your neck once more. He hopes to leave a mark. "Would you do it? Bed your uncle like your mother did.”

The sting of his tongue against the wound he placed on you wakes you from your haze. Your mother. The lust is quickly replaced by guilt and shame, and you suddenly feel suffocated. Shoving away, you slap him off you. He stumbles, shocked and disoriented.

Gathering your skirts, you stand, now looking down at him. Your throat dries, but you speak firmly. "You've had your chance to take your justice. Now let us speak of it no more.”

And you were gone, fleeing without as much as a second glance behind, and Aemond is left alone. The sting on his face and the hardness of his cock are the only reminders of your dance.

#aemond targaryen #aemond one eye #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond targaryen x you #aemond x reader #aemond smut

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meli-writes · 2 months ago

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Writing Masterpost (updated: 13/11/2024)

bio & expectations (for me) here.

welcome to my index of writing where i love vulnerable, intimate writing about kink, violence, and lesbians. stories sorted into categories and listed in recommended reading order, with word count so you can figure out reading time (avg 250/minute).

stories with sexual content marked with (18+), in bold if hardcore, stories with CWs marked with (CW), in bold if they're more serious (i.e explicit violence or sexual assault). unmarked stories may still be erotic or contain violence, but it should be light and non-intense.

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Kayspace

sci-fi setting (inc. for my VN, dekaton date knight). weird technology and literal seas between the stars, with themes about bodily autonomy/consent (esp trans & disabled bodies), anarchist/statist conflict, decaying imperialism, and anti-colonialism.

Mistakes - 2.5K (18+)(CW) prologue. precarity and emotional labour of a space-station escort, the pirate who's got her on retainer, and the mistakes she can't help but keep making.

Bitch Devourer - 3.3K remnant cavalier gets caught by a rebel with a very misinformative callsign. Ch. 01 - 0.45K (18+) Ch. 02 - 0.9K (18+)(CW) Ch. 03 - 2.0K (18+)(CW)

Blood Sugar - 1.1K runaway sugar baby wakes up in a mech pilot medbay, with none of their own blood. Ch. 01 - 1.1K (18+)(CW) Ch. 02 - ???

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Monsters

usually urban fantasy w/ vampires, werewolves, and witches too. has my own rules for curses & magic to make things cuter and gayer. mostly setting for hunter's mark.

Blood Pressure - 1.5K (CW) defeated, closeted huntress gets enthralled & mommy'd by an ancient vampiress.

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Magical Girls

anything where girls get magic powers from space rocks and then get into various superhero/supervillain-based stories. might crossover with criminal stuff.

Little Miss Laser - 11.5K clueless biker-girl villain tries kidnapping the trans magical girl she's smitten with and it goes awkwardly wrong, finding out there's more to her than she thought. Ch. 01 - 4.7K (18+)(CW) Ch. 02 - 6.8K (18+)(CW) Ch. 03 - ???

House Bound - 1.5K ruby's stuck on house arrest duty for a villain, its ex, who won't stop trying to seduce it.

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Criminals

little girls in a big underworld w/ spies, thieves, smugglers, and more. sometimes magic, sometimes mundane.

Prescription - 2.0K (18+)(CW) thief who has to steal to get her meds, caught & punished by mommy mob boss.

Coffee? Vodka. - 1.4K a thief goes to their fence for something different than the usual toys. Ch. 01 - 1.1K Ch. 02 - 0.75K

Slipping Away - 1.5K exposed spy is waiting for her rival to come and kill her, but doesn't want to go. Ch. 01 - 0.35K (CW) Ch. 02 - 0.65K Ch. 03 - 0.55K (CW)

L'État, C'est Mecanisée - 0.95K the royal palace burns and its empress is chained to a clockwork operating table.

Le Loup Des Mers - 1.0K a pirate wakes up with an unexpected guest bound in her bed.

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Fantasy

usually lots of princesses and adventurers getting into trouble. maybe some angel/demon things, some monsters and others, cos it's a looser category.

Truth to be Dared��- 7.1K whoever catches the faun gets the princess, so what if the princess does? Ch. 01 - 0.65K (18+)(CW) Ch. 02 - 1.4K (18+)(CW) Ch. 03 - 1.0K Ch. 04 - 1.6K (18+) Ch. 05 - 2.4K (18+)(CW) Ch. 06 - ???

Short Rest - 1.1K the barbarian cursed to forget and the cleric who is definitely just her roommate.

Consort - 1.1K a demon queen breaks her promise to a princess, and wreathes her neck in silver roses. Ch. 01 - 0.4K (18+)(CW) Ch. 02 - 0.7K (18+)(CW)

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Science Fiction

mech pilots, starship pilots, and other space opera drama that doesn't fit into kayspace.

Mechismo - 3.3K a mech pilot works hard for her civilian 'shore-girl' and is owed some sweetness. No. 01 - 0.85K /// Shore-Girl No. 02 - 0.75K /// Declassified No. 03 - 1.0K (18+) /// Speak No. 04 - 0.75K /// Hit List

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Fanfic

writing based on other's stories, works from tumblr or elsewhere. done for learning & self-indulgent fun.

Thirty-Six - 2.7K (18+)(CW) / +2.8K Original [1][2][3] by Caffeinated Otter a fixer teaches her captive thief a lesson, but which one will break first?

Leap Year - 0.55K (18+)(CW) epilogue to Thirty-Six. a cut-loose thief stills keeps in touch.

Roxanne - 3.9K / +0.55K Original by Caffeinated Otter a regrettable career in bounty hunting, a blahaj, and a fugitive tucked under a blanket. Ch. 01 - 1.9K Ch. 02 - 2.0K

Sex Pollen - 0.95K (18+) / +0.7K Original by Caffeinated Otter yvrette's cheating ex has the most embarrassing alien illness, can she forgive her?

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Essays

or rather extended posts expressing my thoughts that relate (usually) to writing or the topics i write about.

an erotic iconoclasm against patriarchal gender & sexuality dividing line between concept & story an ode to chosting every tumblr post about mecha doll as an expression of gender

#Melinoë Writes #Kayspace #Sublimatic Rose #Hunter's Mark #Little Miss Laser #Révolution Mécanique #Truth to be Dared

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hannahhook7744 · 9 months ago

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'Right Where You Left Me....' Moodboards;

Enchanted Forest Name: Kiran Adil Hassan Mani Woodcock.

Storybrooke Name, if cursed: Corwin Tucker.

Nickname(s): 'Ran, Cor, Princey, K, Doctor Himbo, The Bumbling, and Kir.

Age during season 1 (minus the cursed years): 20 years old.

Enchanted Forest Job: Prince and heir to the throne.

Storybrooke Job: Medical intern.

Kingdom Name: The Kingdom of Linos.

Family: Reshmi/Vashti (Mother),

Raj (Father),

Amir/Aaron (Younger Brother),

Shahzad/Shawn (Younger Brother),

Penelope Devlin/Paisley Spinner (Fiancée).

Animal Companion(s): Shooting Star, Sunburst Heavens, and Swift Foot (Horses).

Theme Song: “Who I Am” by The Score.

Fairytale They're From: The Three Spinning Women.

Enchanted Forest Name: Penelope Guinevere Devlin.

Nickname(s): Pen, Penny, P, Pais, 'Ley, Lazy, and The Lazy Spinner.

Storybrooke Name, if cursed: Paisley Spinner.

Age during season 1 (minus the cursed years): 19 years old.

Enchanted Forest Job(s): Spinner (formerly),

Princess Consort/Queen to be.

Storybrooke Job(s): Seamstress.

Kingdom Name: The Kingdom of Linos.

Family: Gwenllian Devlin/Jean Spinner (Mother),

Ferdinand (Father),

Klotho/Karen (Adoptive Aunt),

Atropos/Annabelle (Adoptive Aunt),

Lachesis/Loretta (Adoptive Aunt),

Kiran Adil Hassan Mani Woodcock/Corwin Tucker (Fiancé).

Animal Companion(s): Flax (Cat).

Theme Song: "Everything I wanted" by Billie Eilish.

Fairytale They're From: The Three Spinning Women.

Enchanted Forest Name(s): Rowena Elladora Jones (Formerly Blithe).

Storybrooke Name, if cursed: None. She wasn't cursed.

Nickname(s): Ro, 'Wen, Winnie, The Forsaken Child, The Princess Who Never Smiled, R.J, Little Jones, The Queen of Strife, The Mother of Monsters, The Queen of Monsters, The Chaotic Sorceress, The Queen of Clumsiness, The Wild Sorceress, The Forbidden Child, R, Kid Pirate, Queen of the Outcasts, Queen of tbe Rejects, and The Pirate Queen.

Age during season 1 (minus the cursed years): 19 years old.

Enchanted Forest Job(s): Princess (Formerly),

Queen (Formerly),

Pirate/Fugitive (Formerly).

Storybrooke Job(s): Writer,

Mail Sorter at Storybrooke Post Office.

Kingdom Name: Rally (Formerly),

Strife (Formerly),

Storybrooke.

Family: Queen Pandora Blithe of Rally (Mother),

King Adam Blithe of Rally (Father),

Killian Jones/Captain Hook (Adoptive Brother),

Tempest Banks (Fiancée),

Warren Scarlet (Fiancé).

Animal Companion(s): Sweetpea (A Skeletal Moss Monster).

Theme Song: "Try" by Pink.

Fairytale They're From: The Princess Who Never Smiled.

Enchanted Forest Name(s): Warren Artemis Scarlet.

Storybrooke Name, if cursed: None. He wasn't cursed.

Nickname(s): Scout, Tree Climber, The Animal Whisperer, The Woodland Bard, The Tree Bugger, Tree Hugger, King Scout, The King of Monsters, The Father of Monsters, The Unlucky Boy, Scout Scarlet, Cuddlebug, The Hard Worker, Animal Boy, The Jack of All Trades, Tree Boy, Scouter, and The Honest Worker.

Age during season 1 (minus the cursed years): 21 years old.

Enchanted Forest Job(s): Thief (Formerly),

Handyman (Formerly),

Farmhand (Formerly),

Musician,

King-to-be/second in command of Strife.

Storybrooke Job(s): Storybrooke Pet Shelter Worker,

Musician.

Kingdom Name: Sherwood (Formerly),

Kingdom of Strife (Formerly),

Storybrooke.

Family: Lamia Scarlet (Mother),

Alaric Scarlet (Father),

Will Scarlet (Older Brother),

Penelope Scarlet (Older Sister)(Deceased),

Tempest Banks (Fiancée),

Rowena Jones (Fiancée).

Animal Companion(s): Shadow (Shapeshifting Cat Fish that can only turn into a cat/cat fish of varying sizes),

Rover (Beetle),

Ridden (Mouse).

Theme Song: “I tried to be perfect” by Sum 41.

Fairytale They're From: The Princess Who Never Smiled.

Enchanted Forest Name(s): Sylvester Boris Lucas.

Storybrooke Name, if cursed: Boris Lucas.

Nickname(s): Silver, S, Wolfie, Fangsie, Fang, Silv, Moondust, Starboy, Bongo Boy, and Spaceboy.

Age during season 1 (minus the cursed years): 21 years old.

Enchanted Forest Job(s): Defense guard.

Storybrooke Job(s): Waiter.

Kingdom Name: Misthaven (Formerly),

Kingdom of Strife (Formerly),

Storybrooke.

Family: Granny Lucas (Grandmother),

The Wolf (Grandfather),

Antia Lucas (Mother),

The Big Bad Wolf (Father),

Graham Humbert (Adoptive Brother),

The Dwarves (Pack),

Tiny (Pack),

The Charmings (Pack),

Quinn (Former Pack),

Adair (Former Pack),

Adalyn (Former Pack),

Adalyn's sister (Former Pack),

Tempest Banks (Pack),

Penelope Guinevere Devlin (Pack),

Kiran Adil Hassan Mani Woodcock (Pack),

Warren Scarlet (Pack),

Rowena Jones (Pack).

Animal Companion(s): None.

Theme Song: ‘Running With the Wolves’ by Aurora.

Fairytale They're From: Boy Who Cried Wolf.

Enchanted Forest Name(s): Tempest Atlantica Banks.

Storybrooke Name, if cursed: None. She wasn't cursed.

Nickname(s): Undine, Treasure, and Siren.

Age during season 1 (minus the cursed years): 20 years old.

Enchanted Forest Job(s): Siren Vigilantee,

Singer,

Queen of Strife.

Storybrooke Job(s): Storybrooke Canner,

Singer.

Kingdom Name: Atlantica (Formerly),

Kingdom of Strife (Formerly),

Storybrooke.

Family:

Nereida Banks (Mother),

Tidal Banks (Father),

Nereida (Maternal Aunt),

Myrddin (Maternal Uncle-Via-Marriage),

Melusine (Maternal Cousin),

Warren Scarlet (Fiancé),

Rowena Jones (Fiancée).

Animal Companion(s): None.

Theme Song: 'Drunken Sailor' by Aeseaes.

Fairytale They're From: Undine.

#ouat #onceuponatime #once upon a time #once upon a time fanfiction #ouat fanfiction #ouat fanfic #ouat ocs #ouat original characters #ouat moodboards #ouat moodboard #etc

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pacmangamemaster · 2 months ago

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Ororo Munroe - Storm

Storm’s Background:

Real Name: Ororo Munroe Origin: Born to a Kenyan princess and an American photojournalist, Ororo was raised in Harlem and Cairo1. After her parents’ tragic death in a plane crash, she developed claustrophobia. Ororo’s latent mutant powers emerged while crossing the Sahara, leading her to be worshipped as a goddess among local tribes.

Powers and Abilities:

Atmokinesis: Storm can psionically control weather patterns, including creating rain, fog, and lightning1. She can manipulate wind currents to achieve flight and alter temperature and humidity. Flight: By manipulating wind currents, Storm can fly at speeds up to 300 mph. Ecological Empathy: She has a deep connection to the environment, allowing her to sense and respond to ecological changes. Combat Skills: Storm is a highly skilled fighter and thief, trained in hand-to-hand combat and various weapons.

Notable Affiliations:

X-Men: A core member and sometimes leader of the X-Men, Storm has been pivotal in many of their missions. Avengers and Fantastic Four: She has also been a member of these teams, showcasing her versatility and leadership.

Character Development:

Leadership: Storm’s natural leadership skills have seen her lead the X-Men and other teams. Romantic Relationships: She was married to Black Panther, making her queen consort of Wakanda for a time.

Storm’s ability to control the weather, combined with her combat prowess and leadership, makes her one of the most powerful and respected mutants in the Marvel Universe.

#ororo munroe #storm

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simplegeneral · 3 months ago

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It has been a long time since I draw Myantharia, the tskarina of my red dragon empire in Continent of Wrath, so I decided to draw her and a plus with her husband, Maeragath

Those two have got into a lot of trouble since the start, a princess and a lowhatched dragon, a thief nonetheless, yet since whelps, they liked each other and played together, even if in secrecy.

Myantharia's love for this low life caused the wrath of her family, whom decided to get rid of the petty dragon, yet it backfired spectacularly.

A civil war ensued as Myantharia ordered the murder of all her family, the remaining nobles either stood up against her or cowered in fear of the fighter princess.

Soon after the civil war ended, she was crowned tskarina, and Maeragath, her consort tskar. And as she descended into madness with paranoia and power, he still a simple dragon deep within, remains her voice of reason in challenging times.

#dragon #scalie #reptile #dragoness #digitalart #lizard #originalcharacter #couple #dragonart #oc #ocs #reddragon #dragonartwork #art #continentofwrath #simplegeneraldraws

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chipmunkfanno1love · 2 years ago

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Favourite Ship Tag Game

Since tag games are so popular around here, I thought I’d give it a go and make my own. :D

Choose 4 romantic ships (fictional couples and/or fictional characters you *wish* were couples) you love from any fictional source whether it be books, movies, TV shows, mobile/video games, etc. Please also reference the fictional source they come from. The list doesn’t have to be in any particular order.

Give your reasons why you love this couple and/or why you think they’d *make* a great couple. If you can, please include a picture or GIF of the couple.

Tag 5 of your followers to share this game with. You may choose to tag more or less if you wish, but I do recommend choosing 5. No pressure, just please share this game with others for the sake of spreading the word.

Please be respectful of others and there opinions. No abuse please. :( Also, have fun. :D

*Warning*: Story spoilers ahead.

1. Rapunzel and Eugene Fitzherbert/”Flynn Rider” from the Tangled franchise.

I love these two because they are beautiful example of a healthy relationship. They love and support each other selflessly in their goals and dreams and never try to pressure the other into doing what they aren’t ready for. They are always there to support each other and build the other up to become the best versions of themselves.

Rapunzel helped Eugene find the selfless, loving man underneath the selfish, vain thief, while Eugene gave Rapunzel the courage to live her dream and break herself free from the manipulative Mother Gothel’s control and find the truth about her real parents and her being the lost princess. They’re each others New Dream and I love that about them. :D

Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi did amazing in these roles.

2. Branch and Poppy from the “Trolls” franchise

I love these two because they are adorable examples of opposites-attract. Poppy is the bubbly, endlessly optimistic princess turned queen of the Pop Trolls, while Branch is the grumpy but realistic former hermit with a heart of gold.

Poppy helps Branch to see the bright side of things and helps him to find his true colours, while Branch keeps Poppy grounded and realistic when she takes her plans too far and is always there to help her out when she needs him.

I hope these two marry some day and Branch becomes Poppy’s king consort. They make a great team - romantically, plantonically and just generally as trolls.

I also love Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick. Their singing voices are amazing. :D

3. Callum and Rayla from “The Dragon Prince”

A great example of the enemies to friends to lovers trope (though they’re currently on the outs romantically). These two have a beautiful bond that grows naturally over the course of 3 seasons. Despite being estranged due to 2 years apart in Season 4, the two are slowly and naturally repairing their broken bond and I hope in time these two will not only repair their friendship but eventually fall in love all over again and get back together as a stronger and much more mature couple.

4. Simon and Jeanette from the “Alvin and the Chipmunks” franchise

The adorkably nerdy pair and *Smart Ones* of their respective musical trios, The Chipmunks and The Chipettes. Despite being similar in their intelligence levels, the two are still different enough from each other that aren’t clones of the other. Jeanette is more shy and compassionate in temprament to Simon’s more snarky, deadpanned wit. He’s always there to catch her when she falls (most of the time literally, lol) and she’s always there to support him and cheer him up when his inventions are ruined (mostly by his irresponsible brother, Alvin).

Though they are still a bit young and shy to start a serious relationship with each other, it’s obvious this adorable pair were made for each other. They do and will make an adorable pair - romantically, platonically and acemedically.

I tag @16magnolias , @briarosabelle , @creativefictionlover , @psalm40speakstome and @travelinglighttoday . Though anyone can feel free to play if they wise to. Have fun! :D

#tag game #romance ships #fictional characters

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desiderium-eden · 9 months ago

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Useless Headcanon of the Day:

Just some members of Mikhail's "Harem"

An Bao Phuong

The fallen "princess" of Yazhou. An ex-assassin and mercenary. Skilled in combat and various weaponry as well as qi techniques passed down her family line.

Marjorie "May" Salazar

Talented surgeon (VERY talented with a knife) and knowledgeable in medicine. Andrei's adopted daughter after she was rescued from a trafficking situation.

Amara Bolynne

Here because one of the perks of the job is that Mikhail funds their hobbies and projects. Skilled alchemist and apothecary, but uses the funds for design. Does not touch Mika even with a ten foot pole.

Airee Bolynne

Amara's cousin. Was surprised when Mikhail offered her a spot, even after learning of the group's true purpose, as girls with her body type (tall and muscular) aren't really the sort that are sought out as consorts (even fake ones). Strong heavy fighter, a menace with a mace or axe. Though her greatest skills are in embroidery and lacemaking.

Aelin

Dishonored knight from a land across the sea. Quiet but incredibly talented on the battlefield.

Caius Locke

Skilled mage, particularly illusions and escapist magics. Street urchin kid who taught himself magic. Also a talented thief. Part of the harem because he got caught in scamming Duke Bartos and it was either this or prison.

#{faebella obscura} royal au

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deistarr · 1 month ago

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This is probably the saltiest, funniest book review I've ever read.

I've never read the book it's about; saw a rec for it and clicked on it, only to see this review and think twice about reading it. But the review had me in stitches and I wanted to share it.

THE REVIEW:

There are a lot of plot problems with this novel. Most of us grow in a society with non-arranged marriages and even a smaller percent of the population are actually royalty and don't understand the importance of bloodline, the reason why kings marry off female courtiers, etc and why Lucia is really just a lazy bum who acts like she's on a vacation for the rest of her life.

Spoiler:

First take a look at Lucia's mother, Amanda. Amanda snuck Lucia and herself out of the castle and decides to hide in the country's capital, probably only a few hundred miles/km away from the imperial castle. Yes they were able to successfully hide in the capital but that also implies that the jobs that they did were not outdoors because outdoor labor would risk them being found by the members of the royal family which also implies that they probably didn't do any hard labor. The arthor writes that Lucia and her mother lives with some foster family for a short time and then her mother dies from a plague that spreads throughout the city. Lucia is later found after Lucia delivers a letter written by her mother, before her mother is about to die to the royal family, which results in Lucia to be brought back to the castle to start her supposedly new dream as noted by the synopsis. Lucia then reenters the imperial court as a courtier except she does nothing a courtier would do and instead hides in the castle like she is leveling up her sneak skills like she is going to be a master thief. What is most impressive is that her sneak skill is so high that she even manages to be invisible during church service, a public function that all royalty is pretty much required to participate in. In fact, Lucia's sneak skills are so good that she is even more elusive than a WIMP, Weakly interacting massive particles (quantum physics), and since there is no Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in that day in age, no one but God, aka the author, is able to prove that she exist which is what literally happens; She only shows herself when the writer says so; More details will clarify this fact later.

What the people around Lucia perceive about her at first is that she seems autistic but Lucia, being the legendary-tier thief that she is, doesn't do anything about it. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure having autism isn't really going to help a person in a society that does arranged marriages in finding a spouse. Maybe you can argue that there are many stages of autism but the fact is that the rumors of her having autism have already spread and she makes no effort to disprove these rumors, like showing up at social events and actually holding a conversation with anybody.

Lucia is also born out of wedlock, which means her mother didn't marry the king, no church-held ceremonial service took place to declare the union of Lucia's mother and the late king (unless the church does postmortem marriages) which means she is a illegitimate child, aka bastard child, which means she isn't even a princess but at most a legitimized bastard. To be clear, being born out of wedlock implies that Lucia's mother isn't even a concubine, wife, or consort of the king.

Let's just assume that the king gave out the title in advance, well he's not dead at the time he receives the letter but he obviously can't marry a dead women unless the church allows a union between dead people which could be done in some religions, Lucia still had opportunities to go to meetings, festivals, balls (dance events), and even church service to show off herself; The importance here is to show potential suitors that she isn't autistic but nope, Lucia is too busy leveling up to be a sorceress leaving the rumors of her being autistic well in circulation. Maybe the king married Lucia's mother in their last seconds? But that would mean that Lucia would have to be present at the wedding which is held by the church which is a pretty big event since her father is literally the king of the kingdom and would give Lucia a huge amount of presence/publicity. Maybe said event does happen but Lucia acted like she was autistic which lead to the rumors of her being autistic? To be clear, said event might not have happened, I made it up to fill plot holes but the author does state that Lucia seems autistic at first when she enters the castle.

I know females act reserved when it comes to romance but there is a clear line between acting reserved and not even telling people you exist and the latter is what Lucia clearly does at her stay in the castle. I'm not sure how anyone is supposed to find her if she hides in her room all day. Maybe if Lucia does some singing, some prince might come along and at least hear her singing which would be a pretty good start even if she can't sing well; Rapunzel reference for those who don't know. When it comes time for her to be married off, she is disappointed that her brother, now the 9th King of Hesse is going to marry her off to some hedonist count after said count won the auction. The fact here is that even if the king was still alive, the current king is the 8th king of Hesse and Lucia's father, would still have to marry her off. Lucia's father might not use an auction system but the fact that he wasn't able to find any suitors means that either he was too busy, no suitors wanted her, or Lucia couldn't compete with the competition, or a combination of said options; Maybe she is waiting until the internet to be invented so she can just use dating sites? Her brother marrying off siblings in his court is proper and something he is required to do anyway, unless you think that Lucia can just leech off the royal family forever or maybe she really is trying to be wizard; If you're going to be a wizard, you better be a F-ing wizard. As stated earlier, her brother and potential suitors all think she is autistic or rumors of her being autistic make it really hard for Lucia to get arranged with suitors that are par/sub-par so she has to settle with the worse of the worse, some hedonist count. If her father, her brother, and suitors knew that she was not autistic that would greatly increase the chances of them trying to find a good match. I don't know about you but I'm pretty sure you would use a reporting agency when you are about to purchase a car from a re-seller and this is exactly what the bidders do, they ask around for the historical equivalent for CarFax and probably learn about rumors of Lucia being autistic, not a very desireable trait for their children's arranged marriage partner if you ask anyone. Maybe if Lucia actually appeared at social events which would build her presence/popularity, and also serve to disprove the fact that she is autistic then none of her problems, problems that she caused herself, would have happened. Also, if Lucia's mother did not take her out of the castle then Lucia would have had time to educate herself, be known among peers, advertise herself, and maybe even get a suitor to ask for her hand in marriage in front of the king.

I feel like the novel has no consistency. The author makes Lucia's value during her time in the royal castle next to nothing by giving Lucia the curse of silence, it's like the same curse that happens to the Islamic version of Mary Magdalene (True fact and you can read about it by Googling the search phrase "First Miracle of Jesus in Islam", make sure its the Islam version because the numbers don't match in the Christian version) except there is no talking baby Jesus and Lucia's curse also comes with autism, Thanks God!

Lucia spends all her time doing nothing and just relaxes all day and just expects handsome men to come ask her hand in marriage. It's like she read Sleeping Beauty and expects something similar to happen to her; Fun fact, the original version of Sleeping Beauty and variants include either the prince having s*x or raping the sleeping princess, maybe Lucia is into sleep fetish?, which results in the sleeping princess bearing children so maybe she expected that too; Disney wasn't even born yet so the G-rated version doesn't exist yet or maybe it does exist and she hopes that the G-rated version happens to her. She clearly does nothing to change her fate while at the castle despite the synopsis saying she does something; Maybe she does some closed-door cultivation while in the castle to become a Taoist Immortal? Anyway, no surprise later when all her dream of just chilling and relaxing every day for the rest of her life, her foster family were clearly Timon and Pumbaa from Disney's the Lion King, "hakuna matata", It means no worries for the rest of your days; is crushed after no one really wants her and when her brother tries a last resort option of auctioning her off to be married, far better value than just having her eat, sleep, and do a good job at being a liability, the next thing you know, she is all healed by some divine being (cure for autism found!), she suddenly changes her behavior, gains a ton of awareness, and actually has an ambition for self-improvement. I wouldn't be surprised if she uses her legendary-tier higher invisibility to sneak out of the castle since it seems to be a hereditary trait/skill. The story would also be more believable if Lucia died from the thought of marrying a hedonist count and someone transmigrated into her body thus dramatically changing her character because this is what exactly happens.

There is also the option of being disowned by the royal family and marrying a lowborn aka commoner. The number of suitors may increase, obvious fact that commoners greatly outnumber royalty = more suitors, which means she can pick from a larger number of suitors but why give Lucia all the presence in the world when she is among the commoners and none when she is among royalty? Maybe she can request her brother, Lucia's brother is now the king and has the authority to request excommunication, to be excommunicated by the church, because no one ever sees her at church which is a very valid cause for her excommunication, which would allow her to marry a commoner because excommunication also is also a acceptable clause to disown and exile someone.

[collapse]

If you're wondering, there are a many cases of high profile princess and princes revoking their own titles to marry lowborn/non-nobles and still end up with happy lives with no one intimidating them:

Princess Mako of Akishino (Japan), King Edward VIII (England, abdicated from the throne)

Just to prove that I'm not biased, Emperor Akihito and his son Naruhito, former is the current ruler of Japan and latter the crown prince of Japan, married commoners but they are a male and they still kept their royal status. Lucia was very far in the line in succession, that's if females were even in the line of succession at all. The only point to keeping her royal status is to the ease of marrying other royalty. If she doesn't intend to marry royalty, then there would be no harm to just revoking her title to marry a commoner, the royal family would just formally disown her, and both sides can go on with their happy non-overly dramatic lives.

Bonus content:

https://www.Youtube.Com/watch?v=_Kmh4BbJPz8

youtube

The linked video is literally how drastic Lucia's fate changes

#salty as fuck #salt? salt #saltburn #salty reader is salty #book review #lucia #I wanna be this person's best friend #Youtube

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asexual-hugger · 4 months ago

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*Shadowy, distorted world. A single skylight carved into the ceiling of a giant, mirrored palace. Moonlight filters down on to a stone floor. Whooshing noise. Dark shadows swirl up and transport the unconscious form of the Moon Prince back into his world. His two consorts, twins Astro and Luna, immediately race to his side the second he appears*

Astro: Your Highness!

Luna: Are you all right, sir?

*Tito’s eyes flutter open. The moonlight filters down on him. He slowly rises to a sitting position, his white hair glowing brightly and his red eyes gleaming as he begins to absorb the power from the moon to heal himself. Astro and Luna move away from him cautiously, and when the light fades into his body, his hair and eyes go back to normal. He shakes his head and runs a hand over the area he had gotten slugged by Eugene’s frying pan. The injury disappears into his skin*

Tito: I’m fine. *The twins attempt to help him up, but he lifts a hand to stop them* Really. I’m fine. Got a bit dizzy for a second, but I’ll live.

Astro: Your Highness, what happened? We saw you appear in a puff of smoke, but you were lying on the ground. You’re hurt.

Tito: I said I’ll live. Thank you for asking. *He mutters under his breath as he runs a hand through his hair, pacing* I don’t understand what happened. I was talking to the Sun Princess, and then clang. Some metallic object came flying at my head. There’s no way Rapunzel did that. There’s got to be more to the story. I froze everyone in that square. *He holds up a hand, and what appears to be a video screen appears out of thin air* Darkness shadow, darkness of night, show me what was unseen tonight.

*A black and white image of the Corona town square in the daytime appears, seconds before it changes to darkness as he casts his spell. Rapunzel standing alone on the palace steps, the look on her face showing complete confusion before it changes to irritation. Nothing else out of the ordinary, until a slight movement he never saw before comes from her right side. Something is breaking through his spell. As he was busy manipulating Rapunzel, he had failed to notice that someone was forcing their way through his wall. Eugene Fitzherbert appears from the shadow, sneaking towards him before he raises a frying pan and clangs it into the side of his head. The video goes dark immediately after. Tito stares in disbelief, rubbing at the place he had been hit*

Tito: So. That is how it went down, eh? Of all the weapons in the world, I had to be knocked out by a bloody frying pan? How original. *He pauses, really thinking* Flynn Rider hit me. He broke through my shield and hit me. HOW DID FLYNN RIDER BREAK MY SHIELD AND HIT ME???? How?? He wasn’t supposed to be moving! I used the Shield of Shadow and he broke through it! A bloody frying pan! How did he get his grubby hands on a frying pan and how did he bloody shatter the Shield of Shadow? No no no no no, this wasn’t supposed to happen! It was supposed to be me and Rapunzel, not that two-timer dirty thief! He ruined it! HE RUINED IT! You are going to pay for your crimes, Flynn Rider! You stole Rapunzel from me, and now she’s carrying your hellspawn! You were not supposed to break the Shield of Shadow!

Luna: Sir.

Tito: What???

Luna: Sorry, Your Highness, but is there anything you need us to do? I know the moon can restore your strength, but we can give you an extra dose of power just for safety. You got hit pretty hard.

Tito: No, I don’t need anything from you right now. What I need is Flynn Rider out of the picture. Rapunzel is mine, and I will make sure he knows it! The same goes for the cursed offspring that the Sun Princess carries inside of her. Without the Moon, that Sun Child is never going to live up to their full potential. They’re only going to be half magic, if it comes to that much. No one wants a hybrid ruler in the magical world. No one!

Astro: You’re not suggesting killing this Flynn Rider, are you, sir?

Tito: Kill him? Ha! As if I would kill him! No, I’m not going to kill him. Princess Rapunzel will never forgive me if I do that! I want her with me, not against me! I'm going to find creative ways to keep her and Flynn separated. The longer she stays with him, the further she grows from her destiny. She doesn’t know what she’s walked into. Flynn Rider is a commoner, a thief. She is a princess with the power of the Sun. Do you see the problem here? Sun and Moon are joined as one! It should have been me she married that day! It should have been me she met, but I was locked away in this kingdom of shadow with no way to leave. Not until I found a way out a week ago. By then, it was too late. Rapunzel had moved on. We are meant to be together. She just doesn’t see it!

#tangled #fanfiction scene #tangled fanfiction

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psynoidal · 1 year ago

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SO, just posted last chapters for Stronger in TypeKita one was another 'bad ending💀' the rest, I will continue when I find a new home with a 'kit's choice' or 'choose your next adventure' option :)

Here are some of the characters from the story, featuring the old 'heroes'. Sadly, in the characters below, only Simon and Will were able to show up so far.

The Holy Knight form the past is Emperor Jonas Maralict. The Saintes became his consort, since she was not of noble birth, and politics dictates that an emperor must marry a noble to get their support. I wasn't able to draw Empirical Princess Ann Maralict, who named herself the Grand Meister of the Wizard’s Magic Tower -- because I didn't like this character much 😑 she was obsessed with the young hero, William, and nagged her brother Emperor Jonas to force him to marry her. The Beastman used to be a savage who lived in the southern jungles of the Dark Woods of Elenore. He turns into a Northern Dandy, trying to earn the approval of Princess Ann whom he had a one sided love with for about 3 decades. The thief is the thief. No one really knew who they were or where they went to. They just disappeared after the William defeated the Demon King. And of course, there's William 'Will' the Golden Hero. He was 12 when he started out on his adventure to defeat the demons who were enslaving the rest of the races, and was 17 when their quest ended. What the rest of the world forgot was that there was a 6th companion in their party -- a demon. And that demon is the reason why the thief hid themself, and Will left his role as a grand duke and went into seclusion.

There is still so many things left untold, so many more choices to make in this adventure, and I will write them all soon (hopefully) as soon as I find another platform to host it :)

FYI This kind of story is not your typical one-chapter-after-another story. With a choice, one chapter can have two possible outcomes, and each outcome may lead to several more. This won't pass on ordinary platforms like Dreame, Goodnovel, Novelah, Moboreader, etc., since some chapters may contain the same scenes which are slightly revised according to the readers choices. If it were published in such platforms, suchchapters would be flagged as 'REPEATED COPY/PASTE VIOLATIONS' by their AI checks.

This is why I need to find a similar app with the multiple choice option.

Anyway, I'm looking into AO3 😃 hoping they can host Stronger hoping you can support it in the future :) and thank you in advance! :D

- me

Stronger by Psynoid Al is still in TypeKita until the app closes in Dec. 20, 2023

#choose-your-own-adventure #rpg #choose the next chapter #fantasy #adventure #webnovel #ao3

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kdram-chjh · 6 months ago

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Cdrama: Practice Daughter (2024)

😽💋 #优酷 #YOUKU #南玉卿心 #PracticeDaughter #杨昊铭 #张淼怡 #徐可 #陈思宇 #shorts

Watch this video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/a-1MYxIwYlk

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apricuscity · 1 year ago

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Geography Lesson: Völsung

“Well hello there all you wonderful people! It’s ya boi, Mr. Kusunoki back again with a long awaited geography lesson! This week we’re gonna take a look at the Kingdom of Völsung! Pretty cool right? Well it’s real cool and not just because we’re headin up to the frozen North!”

“See the Kingdom of Völsung is located far far North. You have to head past Nivis, out into the Ледник Sea, and somewhat North-West of Crepusculum. Most of the time Völsung is a frozen tundra but it does give way to patches of green during the warmer months.”

“An interesting thing is the fact that it’s about three times the size of Apricus. While this doesn’t make it the largest land mass out there, it’s still pretty impressive. Thing is, the population of the entire place is probably only about half of Apricus’s population.”

“You’ll probably find a lot of smaller settlements along the many rivers, straits, mining towns, and every so often a logging town. Most of the land however is uninhabited. Sounds like a place old Morely & Friends would love to set up shop in. Imagine walk-through Tacos ‘N More locations with no competition. Anyway, moving on.”

“The entire kingdom is broken up into five “holds”. Each hold is pretty distinct, they’ve got their own customs, cultures, and local governments. Granted everyone still falls under the rule of the King. We’ll get to him later. The holds are Völsung, Wægmunding, Wulfing, Yngling, and Scylding. Each of these has a capital city of the same name. Wow, some of those are a mouthful huh?”

“Hey speaking of cultures did you know Völsung has it’s own iconic thief? You’re probably aware of the Taco Felon or even the Baguette Bandit but have you heard of the Smörgåstårta Pillager? Legend tells of a ghostly figure who rides through the holds at night seeking only one thing, Smörgåstårta. It’s even said that this figure has haunted some of the past queens!”

“Now Völsung is as I mentioned earlier ruled by a royal family. The Krakas, which includes King Sigurd, Queen Consort Brynhildr, and the princesses Aslaug, and Skuld. Both of which are currently visiting Apricus! Big shout out! Beneath the royal family each hold has it’s own ways of determining laws. Most of the time it’s a council, a bit like we have in Apricus but slightly different.”

“A lot of times judicial matters are handled between individuals. We’re talkin some trial by combat type stuff. While it is generally allowed, it’s considered dishonorable to hire a fighter to take your place, so be ready to grab your weapon and handle your own affairs. Most of the time this is done privately BUT disputes between high profile folks can turn into a spectacle where everyone is welcome to watch. I should note it’s usually to first blood with an official overseeing these things to make sure nothing goes too far.”

“Culture is a little hard to go into detail about. Each of the holds has their own ya know? Song, craftsmanship, and warrior heritage are all extremely important. Combat for example is taken incredibly seriously. In the hold of Völsung it represents a right to rule. It’s the pride of those folks. The Shieldmaidens generally call that hold home. Shieldmaidens can recruit from any of the holds but the captain is always from Völsung and almost always of royal blood.”

“In order to be one you have to show an aptitude for combat, the arts, and have strong faith. Oh yeh, and nobody above the age of 12 can be selected. That’s how early this starts. If you get selected you leave home, get assigned a mentor, and have to go through vigorous training in many different aspects. Once you hit 20 you can attempt to graduate. In order to do this you have to fight your mentor. If you win, you claim your place as a Shieldmaiden. If you lose you have to wait another year before you can challenge again.”

“Shieldmaidens are, aside from the royal family, the most culturally significant people in the kingdom. They act in stage plays, and head religious festivals, among other duties.”

“The hold of Wægmunding is known for having the fiercest warriors in the entire kingdom. The mighty Berserkr! There are plenty of stories about these warriors and what they are capable of. Do not mistake them for an untamed brute. The Berserkr is said to enter something of a battle-trance. Their mind emptied of all things save combat, their sense of pain dulled. They also acted as religious leaders. Practicing rituals to strengthen the spirits and bless warriors for a coming battle.”

“In Wulfing, the ability to fight directly translates to your ability to survive. While much of the kingdom is in a time of great peace, the hunters of Wulfing do not take kindly to trespassers on their grounds. It is common for feuds between families to break out over territory, and strength is ultimately what determines the victor. The most feared warriors of the Wulfing are the Ulfheðnar, those who wear a wolf pelt, and fight alongside a tamed wolf of their own. The rite of passage to becoming an Ulfheðinn involves striking out into the wilds alone, armed with nothing but a weapon and a hunting knife, to track down and slay a mother wolf. The wolf is skinned, and the pelt turned into the warrior’s coat. The warrior then takes the mother’s pup in as their own, rigorously training the wolf to fight at their command.”

“In the Hold of Yngling, they were well aware that their many rivals could best them in combat without effort. As a result, their strategy became to preempt these invasions to cripple their forces before they became a threat. This is what gave rise to Yngling’s legendary navy fleet, the Jomsvikings. Where other Holds’ elite warriors were generally also spiritual leaders, the Jomsvikings were simply well-trained and well-disciplined soldiers. This was the most formal military institution in the kingdom, and it has lasted the test of time, though Yngling being the most forward thinking Hold has altered their structure a bit to encourage the service of the whole kingdom rather than just their own Hold. The Jomsvikings were primarily naval combatants, and they built their ships to dominate naval engagements.“

“Finally, the Hold of Scylding may have the smallest population, but their warriors were not to be underestimated. As most of them are Awakeners, even the most elite fighting force in the kingdom could be swiftly dismantled by a powerful Scylding shaman. The Hold has no formal fighting force, operating with the understanding that should a crisis arise, every citizen must participate.”

“Beyond combat, the next major point of pride for Völsung is in their craft. This shows through most strongly in Wægmunding, where most of the traditional methods of smithing weapons and armor are still kept alive to this day. The materials they mine are put through a special tempering process to make their weapons and plate harder, sharper, and more resistant to the brittling cold. Smithing is a form of art in Völsung, and any self-respecting smith refuses to allow shoddy work to leave their forge. Many smiths even have a trademark that they place on their work, an engraving, a brand, or a particular filigree.“

“The final main pillar of Völsung’s culture is in their arts, most of all their songs. Since the days of old, storyteller bards known as skálds would write poems and songs about great heroes and battles, yet another tradition that has persisted. Many famous warriors have hired skálds to accompany them to battle as spectators with the intent of having their prowess recorded into song. Some skálds in the more modern eras have also begun translating these poems and songs into stageplays, and these plays remain one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the kingdom. While each Hold has its own major theater located in its capital, the greatest productions are held in the Hjaldrhólm. Typically these shows are reserved for either the debut of a new work from a popular skáld, or a traditional play staged for an important holiday or festival.“

“The religious practices of Völsung are rooted in naturalism. They believe that all things come from nature, and as such, all things must return, and through the World Tree, all things are connected. Therefore, respecting nature is an important part of life in Völsung. It is understood that resources are required for the advancement of society, but that does not mean they take selfishly. Trees harvested for wood are replanted, animals hunted aggressively are given time to repopulate before they may be hunted again, and so on. It is a cycle of taking and giving back that allows the people of Völsung to achieve a harmonious existence with their harsh environment. This deep appreciation for the natural is also what keeps many people from pursuing cybernetic augments except where medically required. Tainting your flesh with metal only serves to weaken your connection to nature, or so they believe.”

“Many of their actual practices take the form of magic rituals, meant either to bestow a blessing or boon, ask for a favor, or simply impart good luck in the future. Countless such rituals exist, each with their own distinct use. Some are to be done seasonally, or as part of a greater celebration. Very few exist with the intent to curse others, and they are generally considered taboo to perform. In the past, these hexes were done in the attempt to weaken opposing armies before battle, but have since become antiquated in their use.”

“While the religion of Völsung is theistic, worship of the gods is generally frowned upon. It is not uncommon to impart the gods for wisdom or aid, but it is done so with the understanding that the intervention of the gods should not be trusted in full. In the theology of Völsung, they believe the gods to be legendary magicians whose power was so great that they ascended into the spirit world after their deaths as immortal springs of energy. As such, their power is to be revered, but never relied upon, as their whims are still that of mortals and may turn on those they bless simply for fun. Some notable gods include Skuld, the old Valkyrie Queen of Völsung who conquered and united the kingdom, and goddess of valor and bravery; Beowulf, legendary Berserkr and god of fury and battle; Völsi, a tyrannical warrior king said to have founded Völsung and god of fertility and family; Eiríkr and Fenrir, a great Ulfheðinn and his wolf companion who are dual gods of the hunt; Helm, an old Jomsviking captain and god of sailing and commerce; and Gróa, goddess of nature and magic, a powerful shaman said to have single handedly defended Scylding from Skuld and her forces, eventually becoming her lover. There are countless other gods in their religion, but most are very minor deities who are often glossed over in everyday life.”

“Finally let’s go into a little bit of history.”

“The history of Völsung is pockmarked with conflict, and war is the one commonality through the ages, though they have remarkably humble origins. Before there was a kingdom, the people in the region were nomadic hunting tribes. Usually these tribes were made up of small family units or a group of families that would travel together and support each other. Occasionally two tribes would have some conflict over territory, but all conflicts were rather small compared to the feuds that would brew later. Over time, certain families began to amass power within certain regions, and other families began to congregate around them, or were otherwise absorbed into them. This was the beginning of the rise of the clans.“

“The spread of the clans’ influence was slow, and it took time for these five to absorb all of the minor clans spread about, but this consolidation of power was what allowed the region to begin advancement. People began settling down, building villages that would in time turn into fully fledged cities, and more advanced technology began to develop. However, with these clans now seizing land and power, it set the stage for a time of bloody conflict as each clan fought for resources they now needed. All five clans were at odds. Occasionally through the generations two leaders would form a tenuous pact in an attempt to get a leg up on a rival, but it was just as frequent that these pacts would be betrayed. There isn’t much in the way of documentation that survived this period aside from a few poems of great warriors and their deeds, but it’s estimated that from the approximate time these clans formed until the eventual unification was roughly a thousand years or so.”

“Generations went by, and with it, the tools of war only grew more sophisticated, along with their tactics. Later in this period was when sea battles began, with so many ships being sunk that the great lake that forms the center of the area was given a name to reflect it. The Rekinn Blóði Vatn, or “Blood-Stained Lake,” was a site of countless battles, and was what gave the Yngling forces such a terrifying reputation. Though we can’t be entirely certain when the conflicts truly began, we are certain of when they ended. The fighting continued until just over 400 years ago, with a campaign led by a Völsung Shieldmaiden, Skuld.”

“I’ll skip ahead a bit and let you know that after a series of lengthy conquests, which you can read about in the Apricus Archives, or at the traveling museum, she conquered all of the clans.”

“Her first act as the conqueror of the clans was to unite them all under a single banner, ending the many wars and senseless bloodshed that had plagued their lands for so long. Her deeds in this campaign earned her the title of the Valkyrie Queen of Völsung, and all under her rule would come to respect her strength and compassion. Eventually the crown was passed to Skuld’s son, Fitela.”

“Fitela’s rule was a time of the arts. The man held artistry in such high regard that he commissioned countless paintings, songs, and plays of old legends and stories, including tales from his mother’s conquest. As a result, he ended up marrying a skáld by the name of Signy, who wrote the poetic stage play chronicling Skuld’s tale that is still performed to this day. Fitela also commissioned the construction of the arena of Hjaldrhólm, and is attributed to its use as a theater instead of just for combat.”

“The generations following Fitela were generally uneventful, with one exception. For years, the lineage of Völsi had sat the throne, and all royal families took it as their surname. What better means of recognizing a rise in status than to take the name of royalty after all? The first to break this tradition was King Ragnar, who ruled around 200 years ago. Ragnar had embarked on a tour of his kingdom, wishing to see all of his land personally, and ensure that things were running pleasantly for all. During his time in Yngling, he chose to have a meal at a small, family run tavern. He was taken aback at how delicious the meal was. Even with simple ingredients, they had prepared food fit for royalty. He asked to meet with the chef personally to thank them for the meal, so the owners introduced him to their daughter, Alfrún Kraka.”

“He became so transfixed by her beauty that he could hardly speak. In a gesture of thanks, he offered the girl a position in the castle’s kitchen. She declined however, humbly stating that she wished only to share her cooking with as many people as possible. Disappointed, Ragnar conceded, but vowed that he would come by to have her cooking every time he was in the city. He ended up visiting regularly, each time commending Alfrún for her work and offering her a spot in his castle, and each time she declined. Over time, the two grew to be close friends, and would spend time outside of the tavern together. After many years, Ragnar once again asked if Alfrún would accompany him to the castle, and again she declined. This time though, Ragnar corrected himself, stating that he did not want her to accompany him as his chef, but as his wife. For the first time in a decade, she said yes.”

“The two were wed in the next couple of months, and Ragnar, showing the utmost reverence for his wife, took the surname Kraka to honor her humility. This came as quite the shock to the kingdom, as normally the name of the family with the higher status would be taken, but there was no specific tradition forbidding it, so there wasn’t much to be done. With that act, the rule of the family Völsi had ended, and the reign of the family Kraka had begun.”

“The following generations were likewise uneventful, and the Kraka line continues to this day with the rule of King Sigurd and Queen Consort Brynhildr. Their eldest daughter, Princess Aslaug is the next in line for the throne, and their younger daughter, Princess Skuld is training to become the next captain of the Shieldmaidens, taking the mantle from her grandmother, Skalmöld.”

“Recently, King Sigurd has made the decision to open the kingdom of Völsung to trade with other civilizations, and their borders are finally free to travel by outsiders, making it the first time the kingdom has sought any kind of cooperation with foreign powers.“

“There ya have it, some fun facts about the Kingdom of Völsung! Hope everyone enjoyed it! Now if you��ll excuse me, I need to see about getting a rafter of wild turkeys out of the Hecaball dressing room. Long story..”

“Kusunoki, OUT!”

#Mr. Kusunoki

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