#Women Fertility Tea

[shreeayurveda]

Freshville Women Fertility Tea

Navigating fertility challenges can be overwhelming for women. Freshville Women Fertility Tea offers a delicious blend of traditional herbs tailored to support women facing conception issues. With one out of four couples encountering difficulties conceiving naturally, factors such as age, stress, and medications can all impact fertility.

Freshville Women Fertility Tea is specially formulated to provide daily fertility care during preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum stages. This caffeine-free herbal infusion helps regulate female cycles and prepares the womb for childbirth, while also providing relief from menstrual cramps and offering menstrual support.

Features:

Natural: Crafted from natural ingredients, it's a safe and healthy option for women's health.

Scientifically Tested: Rigorously tested to ensure effectiveness.

Herbal Blend: Expertly combined with a blend of beneficial herbs.

Healthy Menstrual Cycle: Supports menstrual health and relieves menstrual cramps.

Benefits:

Reproductive Health: Drinking tea can contribute to improved reproductive health for women.

Hormonal Balance: The natural blend helps maintain hormonal balance.

Fatigue Prevention: Prevents fatigue for a strong mind and body without extra calories.

Pregnancy Support: Provides relief from pregnancy-related discomfort and encourages easier labor. Additionally, it may reduce the frequency of needing to urinate and alleviate other menstrual symptoms like nausea for pregnant women.

[hasansaad6413]

Boost Your Fertility Naturally | Get Pregnant Faster with the Best Women Fertility Tea | Dr Mofor Clinic

Are you struggling to conceive? If you’re trying to conceive, this video is a must-watch! Learn how to boost your fertility naturally and increase your chances of getting pregnant faster with the best women’s fertility tea recommended by Dr. Mofor Clinic. Our herbal blend has been proven to support reproductive health and help couples achieve their dream of starting a family. Say goodbye to expensive treatments and try our all-natural fertility tea today!

Our fertility tea is made with all-natural ingredients and has helped many women increase their chances of conceiving. In this video, Dr. Mofor will explain how the tea works and share some other helpful tips for boosting fertility. Don’t miss out on this valuable information that could help you start a family!

🎥Click the link below to watch the full video on YouTube. Like share comment tell us what you think: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTKHKSZLL90

============

Dr. Mofor

Researcher and consultant in herbal Medicines

Dr Mofor Clinic of Phytotherapy

============

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[on-leatheredwings]

Baby-trapping you say? 👀

baby trapping i say!!!

maybe i should say its specifically stealthing [picks nose]? he doesnt really care to 'trap' you because he literally just believes you're endgame

sneak peek bc god im tired of writing:

tw: weird ideals about fertile (cis) women, intent to stealth, implied/tangential somnophilia (???) and other yandere-typical behavior

18+ only, Damian Wayne is 21

He does want to be with you above anything, and if children were out of the question due to natural causes… sure, he would learn to get over it. His brothers are all adopted and are as legitimate heirs to his father as he. But as it stands, Damian needs an heir someday and he knows your body can provide that. 

A part of him, a part that’s been planted in him since his childhood, quietly admits that he simply wants his children to be blood. He was taught that he was the result of two genetically perfect individuals – Bruce Wayne the Batman and Talia al Ghul, Daughter of the Demon’s Head. 

So why shouldn’t his child be the genetic amalgamation of you and him? The thought of impregnating you sounds… good. Ideal. Natural, even. Call him a romantic.

Back from class, you decided to read on his living room recliner while he drew in his study. He indeed sketched, as he did everyday, but he also wanted to check if today was the day he thought it was. Damian opens the drawer of his wooden desk, papers neatly filed. He picks up a sleek black folder.

When opened, inside is a calendar for the year, with no notes or writing. The days are simply blank or highlighted in either red or green.

His eyes skirt down to the current day of the calendar, and Damian's pleased to see it is indeed among a week that's painted in green. You've ovulated, and the six days afterward are an ideal window. 

You've said in passing that your cycle is pleasantly regular and Damian's past investigations have proved this to be true. He doesn’t ask anymore. He snorts, remembering how last time you looked at him incredulously and asked if he was a Republican, since he was “all up in your womb.” 

However, you do keep menstrual products in your bag when he’s predicted it. You also spend quite some time at his place, so he does note when there’s pad wrappers in his bathroom trash bin.

Last year, the day he knew you were the one, his One, he brewed you a tea before bed. Its sedative contents ensured you wouldn't wake. So, Damian pulled off your pants, and collected a sample from you as you slept. Of course, he did so with sterile, sexless precision –  Damian wasn’t a pervert or deviant. He sniffs. He’s better than that. Even if his hands did linger.

Test results proved you were healthy and fertile. He remembers being proud. As expected, you were perfect in all things.

[valaenatargaryensdragon]

Could you please write Maegor getting upset when his wife, who was forced to marry him, refuses to hand over their new son, after his birth.

A/N: I hope you like this!

pairing: Dark!Maegor Targaryen x Reader

summary: Maegor getting upset when his wife, who was forced to marry him, refuses to hand over their new son, after his birth.

Word count: 1,1K

Warnings: Angst, forced marriage, childbirth

Masterlist 1

Masterlist 2

"You're not the first or last woman he will marry" Tyanna of the tower hissed in your ear the night of your wedding. You were only ten and five namedays old when your father married you to Maegor in hopes of an alliance and to get on the good graces of the cruel king.

"Why is he doing this?" You had sobbed as she herself braided your hair for the bedding. Your mother had explained what it entailed but Tyanna had made Maegor sound like a monster in the bed, that you will probably perish in between his arms as he fucked you.

"He needs a son, an heir" Tyanna answered. She secured the last braid and moved away from you. The sorceress provided a vail from her waist band and held it out to you. "For fertility" She had promised so you would not have to bed Maegor for long. You gulped it down without a second thought wanting to get rid of him.

That night Maegor and you performed your duties, he was gentler than Tyanna explained but with no mercy unlike what your mother had explained. You were in pain after and could barely move but the more he came to you the easier it became.

When you fell pregnant Maegor rejoiced and threw feasts and tourneys claiming his heir was coming. Tyanna's true face came out then, she had doubled her visits unlike Maegor's other wives, Ceryse and Alys of Harroway. The two women sympathised with you because with your pregnancy came Maegor's attention as well.

It was Alys who had stopped you from drinking a tea Tyanna brought you, it was a tea to help you with the birth, to make it easier and faster but Alys was suspicious already and called in a maester and alerted Maegor of the incident. Alys was right, the tea was meant to turn your child into a monster, sorcery, Maegor killed Tyanna in front of your eyes. Terrible mistake of his now you feared him more than ever, he was ready to kill anyone and everyone.

He had presented her heart to you muttering that it was for the sake of your son. The sight of her heart in his hands sent you into labour, you were terrified. Alys had stayed with you during the labour, trying to calm you down, trying to remind you that you were bringing a new life into the world.

Ceryse however stayed outside of the chamber with Maegor, she saw herself above being by your side during your labour, she was of higher statues, she was the niece of the high septon after all. Other than that she was of much older age than you two combined probably, she you had never truly asked for her age.

"Good job, your grace" The maester praised from between your legs. You panted leaning back against the pillows. Alys dabbed a soaking rag against your overheated skin.

"Again, your grace, you're almost done" The maester encouraged. You took a deep breath and pushed when the next contraction began. A scream came out involuntarily, it was just very painful. The pressure slipped out of you after almost seven hours of labour.

"A son!" The maester rejoiced pulling the bloodied child out. He squealed out, crying for warmth. The maester placed the crying child over your stomach so he can cut the cord connecting you to your child and deliver the after birth.

Maegor was unable to wait anymore but what broke him was the sound of a child crying from inside. Ceryse's face dropped at the sound, she had failed her duty, another woman had presented him with a son, a living heir. Maegor brushed passed her to walk into the room.

Midwives were running around the room with bloody rags and pots filled with bloodied water. You were laying on the bed with a pile of pillows keeping you upright, your hair was wet from sweat and face red, your breathing was ragged but your eyes were focused on the baby crying in your arms. Even Alys was crying beside you, relieved that maybe the birth of this baby would lessen the weight on her shoulders.

"Oh my baby" You whispered, unaware that Maegor had stepped into the room. The white haired baby tried looking up at you but was unable to raise his head. You moved him to lay in your arms at an angel that let you look at each other.

"Shhh baby, mommy's here" You swayed him slightly in your arms. He calmed down, opening his eyes finally to show the most beautiful shade of purple eyes ever.

"A son your grace, congratulations" The maester was the first to notice Maegor. He stood up straight with the after birth still in his hands. Your gaze moved to look at him stood by the door, eyes stuck on the child in your arms. You pulled your son closer to your chest.

"My son" It was like he was in a trance. He stepped closer the bed slowly. Alys moved off the bed and to the side to help some of the maids choose a dress to put you in after they bathe you.

"Give me my son" Maegor opened his arms, a grin decorated his face. You feared him now more than when he would glare at you.

"No" You squeaked, shaking your head from side to side. The room fell deathly quiet at your words. Alys closed her eyes fearing for your safety.

"Give me my son" Maegor ordered, eyes glaring down at you, his smile slipping slowly off his face. Alys scrambled to the other side of the bed and took a seat beside you. She reached to touch your arm but you flinched away from her touch.

"No, don't take him away from me" You cried, holding him tighter, closer to you. The maester could notice the anger in Maegor's eyes growing closer and closer to craziness at being refused to hold his first child.

"Your grace, if I may" The maester handed the after birth to one of the midwives and moved to stand by Maegor's other side. Maegor side eyed him giving him permission to speak before turning to glare at you, you glared right back with tearful eyes.

"Some mothers grow overprotective of their children when their first born, maybe we should give the queen some time to adjust to the child, it is like an instinct, not her fault or choice your grace" The maester spoke lowly. If you could you would growl at him like some animal. To Maegor you looked like a dragon protecting her eggs.

"Get her snapped out of it fast, I want my son" Maegor hissed. He pushed the old maester to the side and stormed out of the room to begin preparations of the celebrations in his heir's honour.

[lya-dustin]

The Bedding

Cw: awkward sex, uncle/niece incest, superstitions regarding sex, lack of privacy slightly smutty

Westrosi bedding ceremony meets irl medieval ceremony

Aemond x Laenor’s Daughter!reader

@the-common-cowgirl

It had seemed like a perfectly good idea then.

With Rhaenyra’s eldest and only trueborn daughter as his betrothed and he now king after the disastrous battle of Rook’s Rest, it would remind everyone your remaining brothers were not true Velaryons and erase any doubt that whatever child he sires on you are legitimate.

The unlikely king had not accounted for the other traditions that went beyond undressing the bride and groom and having the High Septon bless the bridal bed.

He assumed the worst would be you flinching when he touches you while being forced into marrying him after he killed your brother and yet that pales to this.

“You must not ejaculate until you have reached a hundred thrusts, her grace must reach her climax within that time and your grace must make sure to remain standing during intercourse or else the babe will be female.” The maester who specializes in fertility orders him after having him inspect his manhood for any abnormalities.

It is a small comfort to know a midwife and his mother are merely giving you advice on the matter.

“I don’t think that is a proven thing, maester.” Cole looks almost as puzzled as Aemond at the strange orders he is being given.

“And how would you know, Lord Commander, did you receive a better education on the Dornish Marches?” the maester, a reach lord with a visceral disgust at anything Dornish throws back thinking the Lord Hand and Lord Commander of the Kingsguard would cower before him.

Most in court cannot accept the son of a Dornish Steward and a servant girl could take the place of Ser Otto Hightower, and yet Aemond refused to give him back his pin and office.

“Because unlike you, he has bedded women.” Aemond retorted in annoyance. “Let’s get this over with.”

He can hardly compliment you or even remove your shift to give you a proper wedding night with his mother, his grandsire, Criston and the Maesters hovering just over his shoulder.

His mother is brought some tea and sits behind a screen with the witnesses. Well, all except for the Maester who is kept from interfering by Criston.

Criston who had tried to impart his wisdom in the carnal arts by bringing in a whore yesterday evening and having her educate Aemond.

It wasn’t the same thing as this and no matter how much Aemond tries to make this pleasurable for you, you look uncomfortable, as if this was an unwanted chore.

“You may touch me, if you like.” You say and turn to look elsewhere and ignore his grandsire and his mother talking about the weather behind the screen.

He has done this before, touched you without spoiling your virtue and but then you showed some animation. The memory of how you used to sigh with pleasure as he lets a hand roam under your shift is a stark contrast to how you just lie there looking bored.

But the way your warm skin react to his touch, as awkward this all is, manages to betray you.

He’s lost count of his thrusting as you bite your lip when he begins to toy with your button like he’d done that last time before it all went to the seventh hell.

You try, and yet the tell tale signs of your enjoyment begin to peak out from your cool façade.

“Increase pressure in your thrusts after 70.” The Maester says and Aemond almost ignores it as he focused on making you come undone.

You shut your eyes and a low moan escapes you when he goes deeper into you and repeating the action until your fist bunched up the linen sheets you lay on.

His own pleasure builds up knowing he’s gotten you to forget your newfound loathing for him even for this moment.

He wants to lay in the bed with you, to take off your clothes and kick off his trousers and tell everyone else to fuck off and leave the room. Just the idea of fucking you in peace has him going mad.

“Gods, Aemond.” You almost cry as your body surrenders itself to the pleasure and he grows bold enough to ignore the audience behind him.

It doesn’t take long for him to climax even as the maester tries to stop him from coming before the final ten thrusts.

“My only consolation is that you too didn’t follow their advice.” You say as he rolls off you to lie beside you in bed.

“What was yours?” he asks reaching out to hold your hand, this time you don’t flinch.

“To lie back and think of Westeros.”

[actuallysaiyan]

Kinktober Day 9: Deity

warnings: deity, smut, unprotected sex, AU, fertility festival, size kink, vaginal fingering, virginity loss, dark themes, suggestive themes, age gap, mentions of belly bulging word count: 1.1k pairings: Deity!Kenpachi Zaraki x Fem!Reader teaser: “Are you nervous, little one?” he asks, his voice a little more soothing than you expected. You bow your head, “N-no. Not at all.”

dividers: @adornedwithlight.

taglist: @thissaintjessi, @cherryblossombankai, @sindulgent666, @yeowangies, @chilichopsticks

In your little village, it was normal for maidens your age to get ready for the mating festival. All the women your age would work on their dresses, bathing in rose water for weeks to come. There was a time in the spring where everyone would try to have a baby. It was the best way to go about it so that the village could come together and help the new mothers with their new babies.

You are nervous. More than nervous, in actuality. Only one maiden gets to be given up to the Fighting God of your village. An intimidating and strong man, Kenpachi has done everything to keep your village safe for decades. Some even say he’s been here to protect all of you for centuries. You aren’t sure what to believe, but what you do know is that you are the offering to him.

Ever since the day he saved you, your parents have prayed and offered so much to the deity. He guards over the whole town, but you have been saved by him. And for that, your parents have petitioned to have you become his wife.

You couldn’t refuse. Even if Kenpachi was the deity, oh how he scared you. He terrified you. Made you nervous. Whenever you’d go visit the temple, you could see his eyes on you and it made you shudder. Yet despite the fact that he was the Fighting God, he showed surprising patience with everyone.

The night came where you’d be offered up to Kenpachi. It seemed almost like all the older women of your village were preparing you for this night. They did everything to soothe your nerves; giving you calming tea, allowing you to take a long bath and to even feed you aphrodisiac foods. 

But nothing could properly prepare you for the giant deity that stands in front of you. It doesn’t help that both of you are wearing official mating robes and nothing more. You’re sure that Kenpachi can hear your heart thumping in your chest. 

“Are you nervous, little one?” he asks, his voice a little more soothing than you expected.

You bow your head, “N-no. Not at all.”

He can tell you’re very nervous. His large hands cup your face and you swear you could faint from the fear. Kenpachi could so easily snap your neck right now, but he surprises you with the softest kiss. You feel like you’re floating on a cloud.

“You need to be prepped.”

He brings you over to the large bed. Kenpachi doesn’t hold back as he continues to kiss you, making your head swirl. You can barely catch your breath with the way he kisses you so hungrily.

“You are my wife now,” he grunts in your ear. His hands pull you closer before he takes off your robe.

You try to hide yourself, but he’s quick to pin your wrists above your head. The sound you let out goes straight to his already throbbing cock. He chuckles deeply before capturing your lips in another searing kiss.

He uses one hand to keep your wrists pinned and the other one spreads your thighs. You gasp when his fingers part your folds, and his thumb rubs against your swollen clit. It almost feels like your body is on fire with the pleasure that courses through you.

“You like that, don’t you?” He asks, leaning in to nip at your neck.

“L-Lord Kenpachi…” you manage to whine. He smirks at you.

“Just Kenpachi, love.”

You don’t even know how to answer. With his fingers playing with your virgin pussy and his other hand keeping your wrists pinned, you swear that you’re about to combust. Kenpachi watches you, his eyes darkened with lust.

The gasp you let out when he pushes two of his fingers into you makes him grunt. He can smell you, and he needs a taste. He lets go of your wrists in favor of leaning down to latch onto your swollen clit. Your legs are already shaking, you can barely hold on.

“Lord Kenpachi…” you whine again. “I’m close.”

“Just call me Kenpachi,” he says again, not stopping his movements.

He slurps at you as his fingers penetrate you deeper than you could imagine. You have no idea how good it’ll feel when he finally enters you, but you think you might go crazy from the pleasure. There’s a steady tightening in your stomach as you get closer to your climax. Kenpachi’s tongue continues to graze against your twitching clit and it takes just one suckle from him to have you crying out.

The juices that flow from your hole aren’t wasted as he sticks his tongue deep inside of you. He growls loudly as he slurps you up, then he sits up on his knees. There’s a crazed look on his face that resembles a wild animal.

“Are you ready for me, little one?”

You aren’t sure you could be ready for what he unleashes. The minute he takes off his robe, a whole new layer of excitement and fear washes over you. He laughs at your cute reaction. Kenpachi strokes his leaking cock, using the tip to nudge against your opening.

“Don’t worry, it’ll only hurt for a bit.”

With that, he pushes into you. You grip the sheets beneath you, panting as you try to ground yourself. You’ve never felt so full in your life. It’s like you’re being split in two and you can’t even comprehend it right now. Kenpachi looks very smug and so satisfied with himself.

“Awhh look at you, little one. So full of me!”

He grips your hips, pulling you even closer. You don’t know how all of him is even able to fit inside of you. He growls as he begins at a rough pace, his hips snapping as he fucks you with reckless abandon. Your thighs are shaking as you try to deal with the intense sensations you’re feeling, making him push them closer to you.

He’s even deeper now and his eyes are locked on you. You’ve never quite felt like prey than you do right in this very moment. Then one of his hands reaches between you and he rubs your clit. 

“I need to feel you cumming around my cock, little one. Milk me, sweetness. I need this.”

He laughs as he watches your reaction change again. Your little walls are fluttering around him, barely adjusted to his large size. The tip of his cock keeps slamming against your sweet spot and with his thumb rubbing your clit in a similar rhythm, you know you can’t hold on once again. He keeps bringing you to these earth shattering orgasms within minutes and it’s hard to even wrap your head around it.

Your whole body goes blissfully numb as you cum hard. Kenpachi is right behind you, a loud roar erupting from him as he begins to paint your insides white. Slowly, he stops his pace. Then he looks at you with pure love in his eyes.

“Mine.”

reblogs and comments always appreciated!

©actuallysaiyan 2024– do not repost on other platforms, copy, translate or edit my works!

[greycloudsinwinter]

Part two of Yan Viserys and Yan Otto was *chef's kiss*

Since we now have a male child for the king and maybe more (After Aegon we have Aemon, Helaena and Daeron) and some extras to please Lord Hand, how will they defend us from an upset Rhaenyra for taking away his throne? Will Daemon be on his side? The Velaryons? You opened my mind to so many possibilities and I adore it 🫶🏼

YANDERE VISERYS AND OTTO X READER QUESTIONS 2

🐉viserys knew it was risky putting yours and his son as the next heir. He loves his daughter truly but he will put your children before her.

🛕Otto had it all planned even going so far as giving you fertile tea but telling you it was moon tea.

🐉if rhaenyra was to harm her half brother viserys would punish her.

🛕Otto had lords vow to protect your son and they were more then happy to do it since they didn’t want a women on the throne.

🐉🛕daemon hates Otto with a passion and loves rhaenyra so he would be against viserys wishes. Going so far as too claim his brothers children as bastards to which he suffers a great punishment. losing a finger as punishment and warning for the next time he speaks out of hand. Otto by the way is loving seeing daemon being punished.

🐉🛕velaryons will demand that one of your sons marry there grand children . But they would bend the knee to your son either way because they do not wish to be part of the bloodshed. That could possibly unfold and if it did they want to be on the winning side so there house survives.

Thank you for the question ❤️❤️

[thewalkingwillowtree]

Safe Haven

Series Part Listing Found Here

Neteyam x Original Na'vi Female Character

Summery: Seeking refuge, Xilä and her father venture to the lands of the Omatikaya clan, in the hopes that the Toruk Makto would be generous in allowing them to stay. This is her story about not only finding her strength, but finding love. 

Warning: This story contains smut, violence & abuse (please don't read if these topics will affect you)

Some characters have been aged up. Neteyam in particular is 23.

Xilä is my own creation.

~

Part 13 - Tea

“He didn’t sleep well at all last night, he kept fussing and crying and wouldn’t settle for anything,” D’avi explained concernedly as she gently eased her baby into Kiri’s arms. 

“They are sensitive little things at this age,” Kiri said, smiling down at a whiny L’eo, shushing him softly with a comforting rock as his tiny face scrunched up in upset. “But I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about,” she soothed as she began to examine him. “Did he feed well this morning?” she asked, fingers pressing down gently on his pudgy tummy. 

“My L’eo’s got his father’s appetite. He won’t miss a meal for anything. Do you think that could be it?”

“Hmm…” Kiri peaked at his gums, examined his tail and took her time to run through every other check up she was taught to in her lessons. 

“D’av, I think it's just gas. Everything else seems fine and he’s in quite good spirits for someone who hasn’t slept much. There are a few stretches we can try to get his tummy to settle and then we’ll see if he’ll go down for a nap,” she advised, holding L’eo to her chest as she alternated between rubbing circles and patting him on the back. 

Xilä sat nearby with L’eya in the cradle of her thighs. The baby was all uncoordinated kicking feet and happy coos as she held Xi’s thumb in a firm grip- tiny tail curled contentedly. 

At three weeks old, the twins amazed Xi each time she interacted with them. It was shocking that they already had such noticeable little personalities. 

Xi had stayed over at the Sully’s last night for one of her and Kiri’s weekly sleepover sessions. They hadn’t had one in well over a month and were long overdue for some quality time together. 

Early that morning when they left the Sully residence, they decided to check in on the new mother and her adorable little ones before heading for their healer lessons. 

With the twins finally down for their morning nap, the three women lounged comfortably as they chatted and snacked on ripened fruit.

The two younger women were currently in hysterics over D’avi’s theatrics, palms over their mouths as they tried to stifle their laughter so as to not wake the sleeping infants. 

Xilä had simply asked her why Yalnïk seemed a bit grumpy when he left for the day, and her sister who seemed to have no filter, said, “Because I refused to give him sex this morning.” 

That was then followed by a frustrated rant from the new mother. 

D’vai sighed dramatically by the end of her speech. “I’m telling you, my husband's family bear extremely fertile men! When we finally decided it was time, we didn’t even have to try…he practically just touched me and poof, two babies just like that.”  

“Ahh, so that’s the problem there then…you’re afraid he will get you pregnant again, hmm?” Kiri asked behind a snicker. 

“Yes!” she hissed. “I’ve only just been cleared two days ago, and the man is insatiable!” she cried. “And it's not like I don't want to jump his bones too, because believe me I do- so badly it’s not even funny.”

“I don’t get it, what’s stopping you?” Kiri asked, trying to contain her laughter.

Xilä had been silent the entire time, cheeks a flamed from the present conversation.

“Ugh. Keep up will you,” she sassed, “I haven’t left this tent for weeks, remember? I’m only withholding it because I have no ingredients to brew the Qla’ira root tea. I refuse to get pregnant again so soon.”

“Ohhhh. Well why didn’t you just say so,” Kiri huffed, amused. “I’ll bring you back a pouch after my lessons today,” she promised. “But honestly, I feel like it’s your fate, ya know?” the eldest Sully daughter teased. “Your husband has six siblings. And each of them already have-”

“No. Just no,” D’avi said horrified as she tried to contain her laughter at the absurdity. “Listen. I am taking absolutely no chances. And I love my children, I do, but I’ll admit I’m going to miss being pregnant with them.” 

Kiri and Xi laughed at her confession. 

“I’m serious! I didn’t have to worry about getting pregnant while being pregnant. Now I’m back to drinking that bitter tea every morning if I want my fun,” she grumbled.  

“Qla’ira root tea isn't that bad," Xi laughed, finally chipping in to the conversation. “If you add a leaf from the Saf’rál plant while it brews, it actually makes it semi sweet and it doesn’t disrupt the effects of the medicinal properties,” Xilä said distractedly as she collected their empty bowls with the intention of washing them up. “I find it quite nice actually.”

The tent grew eerily quiet. 

“What?” Xi asked, freezing on the spot when she noticed the other two staring at her with slacked jaws and round eyes. Mentally running over her words, Xilä paled when she realized what she had said. “No. Wait. I- I just meant-”

“No. NO…you said what you said, Xilä. Spit it out. Since when did you start drinking Qla’ira root tea?” D’avi demanded, sitting up straight as her tail sprung high. 

The tea in question was contraceptive or better yet, one of the more effective methods the Na’vi used. And since her husband seemed to like to fuck her as if it were his life’s mission to keep her constantly full of his seed…Xilä thought that said tea was necessary. 

“D’av…” Xi whispered, unable to formulate a sentence, mind still in shock at what she had accidentally admitted. 

“Oh shit. Oh Great Mother!” Kiri exclaimed with a disbelieving laugh. “You’re bonded to my brother…aren't you? And don’t even try to lie. You just admitted to drinking Qla’ira root tea, Xi. You know only mated women drink that in order to prevent pregnancy. There’s no other possible reason you’d need it. So save your breath because it's also literally written all over your face.” 

“You guys…”

“Aha! Oh this is just hilarious,” Kiri cried, grinning so wide, she looked almost giddy.  

“Xi…” D’avi however, seemed to be needing that verbal confirmation. 

Xilä released a breath and rubbed the space between her eyes. “Um…yeah…Neteyam is my husband,” she mumbled out. 

“Xilä!” her sister yelled, a tinge of hurt poking through. 

“We were going to announce it when we got back, I promise! But then you were in labor and so many other things came up! You know with all the new security measures and my classes, then in between we were still making preparations for our tent and…I- I’m so sorry…”

A wail broke through the silence that followed, accompanied by a fussy whine. They had been too loud it seemed. 

“You stay right there Xilä- or should I say Xilä Sully. Don’t you dare move,” D’avi threatened as she got to her feet to tend to her fussing babies behind the privacy curtain. 

Xilä groaned, bowing her head in defeat. 

“So…How long were you two actually planning on hiding this then?” Kiri asked curiously, when it was just the two of them left. 

“I don’t know…We talked about it a couple times but it was never the right time. He never said it out loud, but I think Neteyam’s been trying to prolong it until my father left for good.”

“Ah.” Her friend nodded in understanding. “It’s less than two weeks away now, hm?”

“Are you upset?” Xi asked softly. 

“Not even a little,” Kiri chuckled. “I’m surprised, but I’m nothing but happy for you two…If anything it makes a lot more sense now.”

“How so?”

“Grandmother advanced your lessons further than mine. She’s teaching you things healers don’t normally learn… Tsahìk things…Which means, she knows, right?” she explained with a smile. “Then there’s also the whole drama from last night,” she said with a nonchalant shrug. 

“What drama?!” 

“Are you kidding me? Xilä, Neteyam behaved as if he was sending you off to war last night, when all you were doing was sleeping over- in my room and not his. You’d swear he was never going to see you again the way he was hanging all over you.”  

“Right…” Xi muttered, cheeks tinting uncontrollably. She hadn't seen anything wrong with his behavior last night. But thinking about it from an outsider’s perspective, she could see what Kiri was talking about. 

Neteyam had always been affectionate with her in private. And to a degree, even before they started fooling around too. Now that they were a mated pair however, her husband was every bit attentive. He gravitated to her whenever she was near- always having to hold her or touch her, even if it was in some small way or the other. 

Whether it was to link their fingers together, or drag her into his lap, to hug her from behind as they stood- his chin on top of her head or to simply curl his tail around hers whenever they sat side by side. 

And if she was being very honest, she loved it. She was a glutton for his touch. 

Kiri rolled her eyes fondly at her friend. Her next comment was interrupted however, by Sal entering the tent unannounced. The flap had been left open to allow fresh air in. 

“You are too kind my dear. It is a beautiful thought. My D’avi will love it. Come in, come in. Oh- good morning girls,” the elder said with a surprised smile when she noticed them. 

She was eagerly ushering in someone and Xilä gasped almost inaudibly when she noticed Neytiri following right behind with what looked like a gift- a lavender dyed cloth, tied off with a beaded chord. 

She remembered seeing her wrap said gift just last night after she’d eaten dinner with the Sullys. It was a birthing gift for D’avi. 

“Xi darling, did you have a good time last night? I thought you’d be off to your class by now,” Sal said, making her way over to collect their used dishes. She was such a mother. 

Xi had momentarily forgotten that the elder came by every morning to help her daughter with the twins.

“I wondered where the two of you were off too so early,” Neytiri teased. “Where is D’a-”

“Right. So how long have you been hiding the fact that you and Neteyam are mates now? I want to know every- Oh Great Mother…” D’avi’s eyes widened, palm slapping over her mouth in panic when she noticed the two newcomers. 

She’d been busy securing the privacy curtain with her back towards them, completely unaware as she’d spoken those words. 

“WHAT?!” both mothers yelled simultaneously. 

“Oh fuck,” Xilä whispered, covering her face with the palms of her hands.

Neytiri’s brows narrowed. “You are mated to my son?!” she screeched. 

“Xilä, tell me this isn’t true,” Sal said almost as loudly. 

At their outbursts, the tent was suddenly filled with the sounds of two crying babies. 

“Neytiri…Sal,” Xi whispered, standing to face them with a broken expression, trying to formulate an explanation. She would admit, their overly upset reactions had her feeling panicked. 

“Oh darling,” Sal cooed, noting her daughter’s distraught expression, closing the distance to hug her. 

“I’m s-sorry,” Xilä said, frantically. The looks alone on the mothers' faces had told her the situation was bigger than it actually was. 

Taking a deep breath, the Olo’eykte realized her reaction was over the top as well. “No, Xi. It is I who must apologize. Be calm, daughter. We are not upset with you,” Neytiri said kindly. “Please sit. We wish to know how this has happened.” 

~

The jig was up. 

The moment Neteyam walked into D’avi and Yalnïk’s tent that morning to check in on Xi, he stopped dead in his tracks. 

‘Shit. Here we go,’ he thought with an accepting sigh of defeat, feeling the sting of the stares from the women seated around the table before him. 

They knew….

He should have just left for his hunt first thing, but no, he wanted to see his mate first. 

“Um. Hi,” he said awkwardly, trying to meet his wife's gaze, but unable to since her braided hair shielded her face.

Shit. She only ever did that when she was upset. 

“Sit down,” his mother ordered through clenched teeth. It was clear as day, his mother was pissed.

As he sat beside his sister, he glanced at the other women’s expressions. 

Kiri looked amused and highly entertained. Sal eyed him with an unnerving frown, not only completely silent, but entirely still. The elder was usually a ball of constant energy, so it was quite an alarming sight. And then there was D’avi, who was currently breastfeeding her baby girl. His sister-in-law was the most bizarre- she looked… apologetic? 

“It has come to our attention that you and Xilä are mated,” Neytiri said matter-of-factly. 

Neteyam blinked, eyes shifting to try and find Xi’s again. “Yes. We are mated before Eywa,” he replied without guilt or shame. 

Something in his mother’s expression clicked. It softened into what looked like recognition.  

In actuality those were very familiar words to Neytiri. She’d said the exact same thing to her own mother many years ago. 

“My ‘Teyam, why didn’t you say before? You have taken away our opportunity to celebrate the two of you. You know our ways! We did not get to complete any of the ceremonial blessings of your union. We,” she gestured to herself and the elder beside her, “never even got to hold the official meeting of the two families,” she said in a hurt tone. 

Pointed ears falling back, Neteyam nodded solemnly. “I’m sorry,” he said sincerely, directing the apology to both women. “I’m sorry I took that away from you…I did what was best for my mate and I…and I’m sorry, but I don’t regret my actions.” 

“Of course you don’t…you have bonded for life with the woman that you love,” Neytiri said softly. “..........Does your father know?” she inquired. 

At his nod, she pursed her lips. “I take it that is why the council hasn’t approached me? They know too?” she asked, frown deepening the more she spoke. It also explained why her friend Fe’ska had seemed somewhat cold of late. “Hmph,” she hummed in hurt. 

“Mother, I know you feel wronged, but please do not be upset with Xilä, okay? She did nothing-”

“Bah! I am not upset with her! I told her as much….I will forgive you eventually, seeing that it is you who should’ve known better…I fear I will not be able to save you from your in-law's wrath however. You were selfish with your thinking,” she said disappointedly. 

Neteyam could tell she felt betrayed from all sides. The fact that not only he, but his father and the Council hadn’t said anything to her- he knew she was hurting. 

“Sal…” he started, but the elder simply brushed him off with the flick of her hand. 

“Hush now. I know why you did it that way. And as much as I want to throttle you for taking away my chance at being by my daughter’s side in the blessing rituals…well I get it,” she said, worried eyes on her youngest daughter’s still quiet demeanor. “You can apologize to me properly in the full presence of our families tonight,” she chided with a sincere smile. 

“Tonight?” he frowned, wide golden eyes darting between the elder and his mother. 

“Yes,” Neytiri said. “I have welcomed Salveen and her family to our home for dinner tonight. We will be celebrating your union. It will be our own version of the meeting of the two families- where we will still give you our blessing," she said firmly.

Neteyam was about the protest but his sister cut him off. “Shut up skxawng,” she hissed under her breath, jabbing him with her elbow. “It’s the least you can do. Look at them, they need this.” 

“Alright,” he agreed reluctantly. 

~

“Xi….Xilä! Xi wait!” Neteyam called, rushing through the encampment to catch up with her. “Xi-”

“Why didn’t you tell me!” she snapped, rounding on him with a fiery glare that was more cute than intimidating. 

“Baby-”

“No, don’t baby me right now! I didn’t even know there was supposed to be blessing ceremonies, much less a meeting of the two families and Eywa knows what else!” 

“Xi-”

“You should have told me, Neteyam!” 

Neteyam's jaw clenched at the sight of a few nearby onlookers, some leaning in to whisper among themselves as they openly stared. 

Linking his fingers with hers, he steered them further through Camp and straight into a familiar storage tent. 

It was the same one they’d used many times before to fool around in- the one that housed the wood and kindling for the cook’s fires. 

Stepping away to give her space, he faced her apologetically. “Xilä, I’m sorry, okay? I really am-” 

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” she asked again, not angrily, but more not understanding. 

He released a breath and reached out for her. “I thought I was doing the right thing,” he murmured as he hugged her close, relieved that she came willingly. “You get so overwhelmed sometimes when there’s too much attention on you. I was trying to protect you. I know you sweetheart, you would have forced yourself through all those rituals just to please everyone else.” 

“Maybe,” she agreed, “but I still would have preferred if you told me,” she grumbled into his chest unhappily. “You should have seen their faces when they found out, Teyam, they looked so devastated. We took away something they were eagerly looking forward to. It was important to them.” 

“Mm. Well, they’ll get over it,” he said, irked. She was already falling for the bullshit. 

“Neteyam!” she chastised in surprise by his retort, trying to squirm out from his hold- but he wasn’t having it. 

Lifting her by the armpits, he sat her on top a stack of thick wood slabs, caging her in with arms on either side of her thighs, face leaning down to become level with hers. 

“See, this is exactly what I am talking about. You’ve fallen for that whole act our mothers just put on,” he said sternly. “Well guess what? It would have been ten times worse if we had put up any little fight and said we wanted to do things our way. And you know what? You would’ve given in. Do you know what those rituals involve? Do you know the extent of all the ceremonies? It’s not just a simple clan gathering where you stand in the middle for two seconds and that’s it. It’s all eyes on you, baby. And that includes all the assholes who’d glare with judgement the entire time by the way. I love our family, honestly I do. But I know you, wife. You would have forced yourself to do whatever our mothers wanted, just to make them happy and you would have been miserable the entire time.”

As silence fell over them, his eyes bore into hers, breath slightly labored after his long winded speech.

“Tell me I’m wrong, Xi.” 

She stared at him unblinkingly, absorbing his words. “You’re not wrong, no…” she admitted, “but you’re not right either!” she snapped, folding her arms. “You said we don’t hide things from each other anymore. This was something we should have decided together, as a team. You should have told me no matter what. I love that you’re trying to protect me, but…please don’t take my choices away from me, Neteyam.” 

Head bowed, Neteyam released a remorseful breath. “Fuck.” 

Xilä turned to see his expression. He looked wrecked- she could tell he was beating himself up about it. Her husband could be his worst enemy sometimes. 

She cupped his face to pull him closer, arms hooked around his neck as she nuzzled her nose into his cheek. 

“I fucked up. Xi, I’m sorry. I didn’t think about it like that…” he whispered into her shoulder, shaking his head as shame filled him. 

“I think you’re just blinded by your love for me,” she teased, making him release a laugh at her joke. 

“How mad are you at me right now?” he asked, standing his full height to face her properly. 

“I'm not mad,” she frowned, pulling him into the V of her thighs by his belt. “Just- just a bit frustrated maybe. I still love you the same amount if that’s what you’re worried about,” she smiled. “We’re bound to have disagreements now and again.” 

“Wait, that’s it?” he asked. 

“What do you mean?” she laughed, staring at his confused expression- it was freaking adorable. 

“You forgive me? Just like that?” 

Xilä rolled her eyes, amused by her husband’s reaction. “Neteyam. I’m not going to make you jump through hoops for my forgiveness. We both communicated our feelings on the matter…We’re good.” 

“Alright...Well would you at least let me make it up to you then?” he requested, eyes suddenly glinting with mischief as a hand crept up the inside of her top to fondle her breast. 

“Oh you’re so slick, huh?” she mused. 

“Maybe a little,” he shrugged. “You know they say make up sex is supposed to be really hot,” he taunted against her lips, his free hand hooking behind a knee, steadying her when he rocked into her core once, letting her feel his growing intention. 

“Make up sex?” she echoed with a humored frown, squirming to get him to rock into her again.  

“Mhm. We just had our first fight. So now we have to make it all better.” 

“Oh really?” she sang, dropping her head backwards while he peppered kisses along the column of her neck. 

Xilä gasped when he bit her lightly, teasing her with his tongue and teeth. 

“Mmmm. Handsome I can’t though. I’m way past late for my lesson with your grand-” 

“What is it that you’re always saying?” he pondered, fast fingers untying the knot of her skirt. “Ohhh right. We can be quick about it,” he mimicked in a girlish voice. 

She laughed and fixed him with a playful glare. “I do not sound like that. Is that how you think my voice sounds?”  

“Just one please, Teyam,” he imitated again, baring her hardened nipples with a simple tug, smiling down at them as if they were long lost friends finally being reunited. “That’s exactly how you sound, baby. Where’s my greedy mate gone today? Hm?” he taunted again. 

Neteyam stopped his pawing to smirk at her, enjoying the way she bit her lip in contemplation. “I missed you last night,” he confessed, voice low in honesty. 

“I missed you too, handsome. We should talk later…now that everyone knows, I want us to move in together…please?”

“Yes. Fuck yes. We’re moving in tonight. I don’t care how late this dinner goes,” he said urgently, nodding his head vigorously. 

Xilä laughed out loud. He was like a child finally being granted his favourite treat. 

“Okay,” she agreed, “So then we can just do the make up sex later then, yeah? I don’t want to walk into your grandmother’s tent smelling of you. I’ve been mortified enough for the past few months alone,” she chucked, trying to sit up and right her strewn top. 

“Mmmm, yeah I guess,” he said reluctantly before deciding something else. “Lemme eat you out at least,” he grumbled, going onto his knees with much determination, causing to laugh out loud again. 

“Wait, hang on,” he said, mere inches away from her damp center. “How did they find out about us anyway?” he asked, peering up at her. 

“Ummm. I, well I may have let it slip that I drink Qla’ira root tea,” she admitted, fiddling with one of his braids sheepishly. 

Neteyam rolled his eyes. “That damn fucking tea,” he grumbled before turning back to his task. 

Xilä’s amusing chuckle turned into a moan.

Her husband apparently had a rivalry with said tea. He’d glare at it every time he saw her drink it. 

He pulled back to grin up at her with shiny lips. “Are you going to stay nice and quiet for me, sweetheart?”

~

Neteyam anxiously waited at the threshold of his home for the arrival of his mate and her family that evening. 

Sal was all smiles when she greeted him first. One arm full with a beautifully assembled arrangement of flowers which he assumed was a gift for his parents. She patted his cheek affectionately, with a, “Hello my dear boy,” before heading inside without needing an invitation.  

D’avi was right behind her, juggling two wiggling babies. “Here,” she said with a tired yawn and dark under eyes, handing him an infant in greeting. “Have some practice.” And then she was gone. 

Blinking down at the tiny squirming baby girl in his arms, Neteyam felt himself begin to panic when she released an unhappy whine. 

Muscle memory kicking in, he adjusted her more comfortably in the cradle of his arms, bouncing her gently the same way he used to with Tuk. 

“Hey, hey. None of that, you’re okay. It’s alright,” Neteyam soothed. “Don’t worry L’eya, I’ll talk to your mom about just handing you off without warning. But we’ll give her a break for now, she’s probably tired, yeah?” he smiled. 

L’eya’s face scrunched up into a cute pout, unsure whether to cry or not, big golden eyes peering up at him in uncertainty. But then she eventually settled, letting out a surprisingly loud coo as she stretched. 

“Hey man, cute baby,” Yalnïk teased when he arrived a few moments after- arms overfull and ladened with a bounty of items. 

“Hey…Ah, what’s all of this?” Neteyam asked in alarm. 

“Fuck if I know. Gifts I’m assuming. My mate and mother-in-law just said to bring ‘em. I’m not going to ask questions.” 

“Smart man,” Neteyam laughed, wiping away a bit of drool flowing down L’eya’s chin. “Xi and Jxo behind?” 

“Yeah, I believe they were finishing their chat …Speaking of,” he continued, using his chin to catch a parcel that almost went tumbling, nudging it back into place. “Brother…you and Xi,” he said disbelievingly. “You’ve got balls, I’ll give you that.” 

Neteyam scoffed at the man’s comment, amused all the same. “How’d Jxo seem?” he couldn’t help asking.   

“I honestly can’t tell. But hey, a word of advice, use the baby. Great shield.” 

“Yalnïk, I’m not going to use you kid to-” 

But Yalnïk was already making his way inside, citing that his arms were getting tired. 

Xi and Jxo were the last to show up. Hurrying ahead of her father when she spotted him, Xilä was practically swooning at the sight of him holding baby L’eya. 

“Hi handsome,” she said sweetly, leaning up to give him a peck on the lips. “You look good holding a baby,” she whispered, biting her bottom lip appreciatively.  

“Are you getting ideas sweetheart?” 

“Maaaybe,” she sang, shaking L’eya’s hand gently, smiling when the baby kept trying to pull her finger into her drooly mouth. 

“Don’t tempt me Xilä Sully,” he said with a low growl, darkening eyes firmly set on his wife’s face. If he had his way, she’d be fucking pregnant already. 

Jxo approached just then, stopping whatever comment she was about to make and halting the naughty thoughts swirling in both their heads. 

“Xi, why don’t you head in darling. I want to have a word with my…son-in-law,” the elder said, narrowed glare forcing Neteyam to swallow uncomfortably. 

“Alright. Want me to take her?” she asked her mate, referring to the little one in his arms. 

“Uh,” Neteyam shot a glance at the elder. “No babe, I think I’m good,” he replied, shifting the infant higher up his chest so her cheek rested against his shoulder.  

It was almost comical how tiny the baby was in comparison to the large palm supporting her bobbing head. 

Mirth danced in Xilä’s eyes at her husband’s response and obvious shift to display the baby better. She’d seen Yalnïk pull the same move before. 

“Okay, I’ll just head in then,” she said with a piercing glare, darting between the two men as if saying behave. 

L’eya sucking on her thumb, accompanied by her soft sighs and baby hums were the only sounds heard for the following few moments. It was an awkward silence, and Neteyam couldn’t get a good read on Jxo’s expression for shit. So he stayed quiet until the man addressed him. 

Clicking his tongue, the elder’s gruff voice rang out. “Look…I’m not happy about the way you went about all of this. Fuck if I didn’t get a frustrated earful from my wife…but I get it. You did it for Xilä.” 

“I did,” Neteyam said firmly, glancing down with a quirk of his lip when he felt L’eya’s tail tickle the back of his hand as it wiggled around lazily. 

“I don’t agree with it, but if Xi wasn’t who she was- if I didn’t know that this was the best way for her, we’d be having a very different conversion,” he said, arms folded and still serious faced. 

“I’m sorry, Jxo,” Neteyam apologized sincerely, he knew he owed him that much. 

The elder nodded. “Yeah well, my kid’s happy, so- that’s the most important thing,” Jxo said. “Now listen here, I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Yalnïk…You’re her husband now, not her little boyfriend. That means something. Understood?”

Neteyam smiled, shaking his head up and down in understanding. “Understood,” he echoed. 

“Good…Now hand over my granddaughter,” his father-in-law said with a surprising full blown smile. 

~

Although at the start, Neteyam was fidgety and awkward, the dinner, as it turned out, was a surprisingly lovely affair. 

Since the moment Xilä and her family had arrived that evening, he had been a ball of nerves.

It was the oddest thing, he didn't have any reason to be nervous but yet the sight of both their families mingling in one closed knit space had him crossing every toe and finger, hoping all went well. 

Specifically for Xilä. 

Neteyam kept glancing at his wife to make sure she wasn’t uncomfortable in any way, constantly checking in.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked for probably the fifth time that evening. 

“Stop,” she hissed under her breath with an amused grin. 

“What? I’m just checking to-”

“Shh. Look,” she said, jerking her head at the sight before them covertly. “Look at our family,” she whispered, smiling eyes already staring. 

Taking his time to observe, Neteyam started on his left where his brother was seated, around the large round table. 

Lo’ak and Yalnïk were in a heated debate over the best fishing tactics- the older man shaking his head vigorously in disagreement. 

“No way man, you’d get yourself killed if you pulled a stunt like that! Remind me to never take you fishing, Lo’ak,” he joked, slightly horrified over whatever crazy idea Lo’ak had just described. 

Tuk had squeezed herself between Yalnïk and his wife the moment they all sat for their meal, and D’avi was currently showing her how to hold a squirming baby L’eya, adjusting the overexcited seven year old’s arms accordingly. 

Then, next to D’avi, were Sal and Neytiri who spoke softly to each other. Neteyam’s brow raised at the sight. 

Salveen was a naturally loud and boisterous woman, he could tell she was trying to be calm and distinguished in the presence of his parents. Sal held high respect for his mother, he knew.

He’d dare say it was almost adorable to see her complement his mother on her taste in home decor. 

Beside his mother sat his grandmother and his sister. The two women were completely smitten with baby L’eo. Mo’at may be a stern and no nonsense Na’vi, but the elder completely melted when it came to younglings. “They are our future,” was what she’d always said. 

Lastly, making the last of the round table, was his father and Jxo. Slowly sipping on their fermented wine, they seemed to be in their own world. 

Straining to make out their words, Neteyam fought off a blush when he realized they were talking about him and his “poor attempts” of sneaking into Xilä’s room.  

Jake followed the elder’s story by beginning to share an embarrassing one of his own about his eldest son. 

“Dad!” Neteyam cried, hastily covering his wife’s ears. She was right next to Jxo and soaking up everything that was being said. “You promised never to repeat that incident.” 

“I did no such thing,” Jake laughed. “Close your ears if you don’t want to hear then.” 

“Babe, don’t listen to him,” he told Xi, bodily lifting her to his other side with ease, between him and Lo’ak, causing the entire table to burst into laughter over his behavior. 

When things settled again, Xilä pressed up into his side- cheek to shoulder. “Do you see it then? They’re all here for us. It’s amazing isn’t it?” she mused quietly, still peering at the different interactions in front of them. 

Neteyam nodded, it was in fact an amazing sight- their both families mingled as one.

Kissing the top of her head, he felt her closeness wash over him, calming his anxiety from before. “I love you Xilä Sully.”

As they feasted, the conversations changed with rapid fluidity. 

At one point when Lo’ak asked, Kiri relayed the story of how Sal and Neytri had accidentally found out- keeping of course the entire Qla’ira root tea topic out of it. 

The moment she said the words, “and then Neteyam goes, We are mated before Eywa,” Mo’at shocked them all by releasing a loud bark of laughter.

Slacked jaws and raised brows all around, the Tsahìk simply glanced at her daughter and then at her son-in-law. “Sound familiar?” she asked them knowingly with a delighted gleam in her eyes. 

Unbelievably, Neteyam’s parents turned embarrassed, with tinted cheeks and flattened ears. 

The rest of the night went just as wonderful. 

When it was finally time, Neteyam and Xilä stood before Mo’at while she sang a chanting prayer, waving a burning piece of incensed bark as she blessed their union. 

The Tsahìk’s words held strong meaning and Xilä’s eyes filled with tears as she stared up at her mate, even Neteyam felt his own prickle. 

Sal, Jxo, Neytiri, Jake. Each took their turn to complete the blessing ceremony. They were all proud grins and teary smiles. 

The final step was a bit of torture for Neteyam. 

Fingers dipped in bright pigmented paint, he and Xilä took turns to trace over the lines of each other’s face and body. 

Neteyam had to remind himself they were in the presence of their family. He couldn’t ravish his wife the way he very much wanted to at that moment. 

She was beautiful- cyan skin glowing beneath his artwork. 

By the time the evening turned well into the night, two groups broke off around the main room of the Sully tent. 

The women surrounded Xilä as she opened gift after gift. Housewarming tokens consisting of soft cushions, blankets and delicately sewn decor pieces that Sal had slaved over in secret. 

There was a beautiful set of wooden crafted bowls, cutting boards, little pots for spices and even a hand carved knife set for cooking- all made by Jxo. 

Meanwhile, Neyeam and the other men continued to lounge around the family table, enjoying a Na’vi game his father had once described as “a complicated version of chess.” 

Kiri had handed him baby L’eo before she left to join the others across the room. Whereas D’avi eased L’eya into his brother’s arms since her husband and gone to relieve himself. 

Lo’ak who was completely taken by surprise, was awkward in his handling of the infant. 

The baby stared at him for a few seconds before she instantly began to wail. The sight of Loak’s panicked and horror struck expression had all the men in hysterics. 

Then, as if sensing his sister’s distress, L’eo too followed by bursting into tears- cheeks staining purple as his features scrunched up in anger, tiny fists clenched tightly. 

Yalnïk arrived back just in time and took pity on Loak, taking his baby girl into his arms and calming her in seconds with a familiar Na’vi song and little pats on her back. 

Neteyam had just gotten L’eo to settle down as well when he locked eyes with his wife across the room. 

She looked away with a blush having been caught staring. 

~

The following day Xilä was a ball of excited energy. 

Tsahìk had kindly given her a few days off from her lessons which she absolutely appreciated, because it was time.

It was finally, moving day!

Their tent was bigger than most residential ones but far smaller than the Sully’s grand home and it was situated in a newly developed community on the western side of the clan. 

All morning Jxo and three of his woodwork guys were a flurry of coordinated efficiency. They were in and out as they brought in beautifully crafted furniture, one after the other. 

The men double checked and made sure the tent’s beams were secure and even installed the privacy drapes for her and Neteyam’s bedroom. 

Xi grinned as she watched them test the tent’s ventilation by lighting the indoor stove in her little kitchenette. The wood and kindling fueled stove was a neatly dug hole in the ground which was casted by hardened clay. 

Jxo really went all out for them.

People kept stopping by as well, congratulating them on their match. Word had gotten out by now about her and Neteyam. And the overwhelming support and genuinely happy persons over their union was both surprising and beautiful. 

The gifts and cooked food and treats kept coming as well. Xilä had no choice but to designate a corner of the tent for the ever growing pile. She’d have to sort through it all later, but she was immensely grateful. 

Neteyam, who had disappeared a while ago, returned with a heavy looking roll which was hefted onto his shoulder. He surprised her when he unrolled it to reveal a large colourful tapestry. 

“Teyam! You didn’t!” she exclaimed in shock, running her fingertips across the intricately beautiful design in disbelief. 

“You said you wanted one with all the colours from Sal’s friend,” he said with a shrug, obsessed with the way she was practically shaking in excitement. 

Without warning, she was surging onto the balls of her feet, arms around his neck to pull herself up his body, granting her access to pepper kisses all over his face. 

“I”- she kissed his cheek- “love”- nose-“you”- chin - “so freaking much,” she mumbled against his lips, uncaring of the chuckles from men around them working. 

Neteyam beamed, absorbing all her attention without complaint. 

“Alright, alright. Cut it out before I lose my breakfast,” Jxo grumbled from where he was crouched. He’d been adding a few finishing touches to the design he had carved on the large round table he built for them.

And despite his complaining, there was no actual bite to his tone. What was even more shocking was the covert nod of approval he sent Neteyam for making his daughter happy. 

Around lunch time Jake, Lo’ak, Yalnïk and his twin arrived. Between the four of them they heaved Neteyam’s heavy and massive hammock in, placing it where Xilä directed them to. 

Sal and one of her elderly friends showed up shortly after with basket ladened arms. They’d brought lunch for everyone, including two flasks full of freshly squeezed yovo juice. And to combat the midday heat the flasks had been left to chill in the river, so the juice was not only sweet but beastly cold. 

With the help of his mother and sisters, Neteyam only needed to make two trips, to and from home to move in his belongings. 

By late evening, when the men packed up their tools, and there was nothing else much for anyone to do, Xilä thanked them all profusely with the promise of making them each one of her Honey Cornbread loaves, to which the Olo'eyktan, nodded eagerly as he rubbed his hands together in excitement. 

When Jake had first tried her experimental sweet and savory loaf, he was flat out ecstatic. He inhaled an entire loaf on his own, complimenting her on how amazing it was. Her father-in-law had said the flavors tasted familiar to him. He’d said it reminded him of honey and cornbread, from back on earth. And so the name was born.

Sal, Jxo and Lo’ak were the last to leave. While her mother swept the tent one final time with a large feather-like leaf, Xilä hugged Jxo for a long time. She was feeling emotional for some reason. 

Neteyam watched the little family from where he stood arranging his weapon collection. When Salveen joined the hugging pair, the trio were all teary smiles and hushed whispers as they said their goodbyes.  

He made his way over when they eventually broke apart, leaning down to accept his mother-in-law’s kiss on the cheek, then clasping arms with his father-in-law, promising them again that he’d take care of their daughter. 

Hugging her from behind, he and Xi stood at the threshold as they watched her parents leave. 

“Thinking of running after them?” Neteyam joked quietly, tilting to kiss her pointed ear. 

“No. Why? Do you want to give me back to them already?” she teased, rubbing the muscled forearms circling her torso. 

“Never,” he hissed, nipping the tip of her ear and licking it to soothe the sting. 

“So I’ve been thinking-” Lo’ak said out loud, making the both of them jump. 

“Fucking hell Lo’ak!” Neteyam said, irked. 

“What? What did I- oh I see how it is, you forgot I was here…didn’t you,” he accused through a narrowed glare from his lounged position against an assembly he made of cushions. 

They’d been gifted so many cushions. 

Xilä felt her cheeks heat up. “Sorry,” she said apologetically, while her husband couldn’t be bothered. “You were saying, Lo’?”  

She returned to the table to continue folding the pile of clean laundry she had been working on before. 

Lo’ak popped another cluster of roasted ovumshrooms into his mouth first. “Right so I’ve been thinking- oh don’t give me that look, you two! You haven’t even heard the idea yet.”

Xi pursed her lips to stifle her laughter. Neteyam however plonked himself next to her, snagging an item from the pile to help her fold. 

“So you know how you don’t know when your birthday is, Xi?”

“Mhm,” she hummed distractedly, covertly snatching and hiding her undercloth from her clueless husband who was openly trying to figure out how to fold it. 

“Well, how about we give you one?”

“What?” she asked, head flickering to him as she paused mid task. 

“You always have to guess when the year’s up to know your age, correct?”

At her nod, he continued, “And you said you were nineteen when you first showed up here, right?” She nodded slowly again. “Well let’s give you a birthday then,” he shrugged. 

“Um, alright,” she said with a hesitant smile. “When do you suggest?” 

“Tomorrow,” he said without hesitation. “Once a year the txep syulangs go into hibernation, and when they do, they cast this glow for the entire day, all through the forest- the women go gaga over it,” he explained with a sarcastic eye roll. “Anyway, I think it’s the perfect day for your birthday.” 

“Lo’ak…that is so sweet of you,” Xi sighed out. “Isn’t it sweet, Teyam?” she asked, turning to her mate.

“Mhm, very sweet, babe. But what’s the catch bro?” Neteyam couldn’t help asking. 

“Neteyam!” she chided. 

“I have to ask, sweetheart. It’s Lo’ak!”

Xi side-eyed her brother-in-law who was grinning a little too wildly. “......Is there a catch?”

“Maaybe, just a little one- but it’s good! Promise. I  was thinking we could hold a party…here.” 

“There it is,” Neteyam snarked with a knowing nod, placing Xi’s folded top in the completed pile. 

~

With Lo’ak finally gone, Neteyam pulled down the flap of their tent, securing it closed. He made a mental note in his head to get a set of the bamboo chimes made- the ones his wife wanted in order to alert them they had visitors. 

“I can’t believe it. We have a home of our own together,” Xi smiled, walking out of their room where she had been putting laundry away. “You and me.”

“Do you like it?” he asked, looking around like she was, admiring the decor and feminine touches she had added. It felt like a home- their home. It was the perfect combination of the two of them, and the sight of their belongings all cluttered together or neatly arranged, endured him. 

“I love it,” she grinned, hugging herself. “We don’t have that much to complete now. Just that pile of gifts to sort through.”

“What are you talking about? We have loads to do still, baby,” he said, sitting back with a comfortable groan on the cushions Lo’ak had abandoned. 

“Like what?” 

“See that table? And that mat, and that beam, and the next beam and the-”

“Neteyam,” she laughed, cutting him off. “I see them.” 

“We have to christen them,” he said seriously. “All surfaces to be exact.”

Catching his meaning, Xilä flushed. “Oh.”

“Yeah baby. Oh.” 

That evening Neteyam made love to her all over their home. 

He ate her out against one of the beams while she struggled not to collapse, trembling thighs propped on his broad shoulders which held her up, fingers fisted in his braids. 

He took her from behind as she laid face down across their center table, screams muffled in arms while he kept whispering in her ear, telling her how good she was, how good she was taking him, how he was going to fill her up until she was swollen and round.

She jerked him off against another one of the beams, sinking to her knees to finish him off by sucking him down her throat. Silver eyes watering as she choked and gagged. 

Then, much later, after they’d taken a break to clean themselves up and have their first meal in their new home together, Xilä rode him in their bed. 

Tsaheylu made- always Tsaheylu made, he guided her, large palms circling her ribs, thumbs brushing under her jiggling little tits as she bounced and rocked and jerked in his lap- panting and moaning into his mouth. 

“Touch yourself, sweetheart. I want to see you come all over me,” he ordered gently, and without further instructions needed, she reached a hand down to where they were joined, to work over her swollen clit.

Neteyam was always feral for the sight. She had come such a long way he thought. When he and Xi had first started fooling around, it wasn’t hard to tell that she was completely inexperienced. She hadn’t ever been touched, nor had she even known how to do it to herself. 

Eyes glazed over, the memory of the night he taught her how to please herself- the memory of her legs spread wide as she chased after her fingers- the memory of expression when she came, back arched and breathy mewls- it gave him push he needed to fall over the edge, pumping her full while she rode out her own orgasm, screaming his name- always his name.  

He groaned into her sweaty neck, panting as their frantic pace slowed into a sensual roll of their hips, drawing out the sensation even further. 

Slumping back against the many little pillows and cushions behind him, he kept her close, fingertips slowly dancing up and down her spine. 

“How do you feel?” he asked with an uncontrollable yawn. 

“Limbless,” Xi answered, propping her chin between his pecs to smile at him. 

Eventually falling into a light slumber, Neteyam blinked awake when he felt Xilä ease off his chest. He heard her wince slightly when he slipped out of her swollen folds. 

“What are you doing?” he croaked, ignoring the soaked appendage that smacked his lower abdomen when he popped out of her. “Come here, baby.” 

Cuddling into his side, Xilä nuzzled his neck as she got comfortable. 

Neteyam had learned early on that Xilä was extremely clingy in bed- she was a glutton for his warmth. 

Unable to help himself, he slipped a hand between her thighs. “Did you drink your tea?” he asked. 

“Mm, yeah. I had it at breakfast,” she responded, eyes closed as fatigue slowly consumed her. 

“Sore?” he asked, sticky digits still stuffing back escaped drops. 

“Not bad,” she mumbled. 

“Can I?” 

“Mhm,” she hummed, pecking his sternum. 

Pulling a thigh up his hip, he guided his tip back to her entrance and slipped all the way in again, right to the hilt. 

“Good?”

“Good.”

Joined as one by both Tsaheylu and intimately, they slept. 

~

Earth music blasted from a borrowed speaker in the corner of the main room. The center table had been moved to the side, creating space for a dance floor, and the distinctive smell of booze lingered in the air. 

Lo’ak had talked them into having Xi’s birthday party in their home the following night. With the promise to keep the invitees at a minimum and also that he’d plan and organize everything- including the after party clean up, they had agreed. 

So far things were going smoothly, but Neteyam wasn’t holding his breath. His brother had joked that he should dislodge the thing from up his ass for just one night and let loose and relax. 

But Neteyam was anything but relaxed. 

He sat idly chatting with a few of his and Lo’ak’s warrior buddies, eyes cutting to his wife almost every other second. She was dancing of course, doing dangerous and taunting moves with those hips of hers, unaware of the attention from other males she was receiving. 

Neteyam openly glared at anyone who so much as peaked her way, famous side-eye slicing through the fools who were bold enough to try. 

And as much as he wanted to kick everyone out of his home, he refrained. His wife was excited for this party. She had given his brother a bone cracking hug when he arrived with a birthday cake for her- one just like Tuk’s own a few months ago. 

If anything, Neteyam felt like Jxo at the moment. All that mattered was that she was happy, even if all he wanted was to scoop her up and hide her away from prying eyes. 

Lost in thought, he misplaced her for a moment. Scanning the room, he found her at the threshold, chatting with a new arrival. 

Staring hard at the familiar Na’vi she was laughing with, he glared hard when whatever she had said made the male’s cheeks tinge as he bowed his head politely. 

The next second of activity had him getting to his feet to make his way over. 

W’aote, Lo’ak’s friend had approached the chatting pair and swung his arm around Xi’s shoulders, pulling her in for a hug that was too friendly for his taste. 

A clearing of his throat and a pointed glare was all it took for W’aote to to snatch his arm away and take a wide step back from Xi, ears pinned to his head as he shot Neteyam a sheepish, apologetic expression. 

“Neteyam, we meet again,” the familiar male said happily, offering him a gesture of respect, “I am Ze’lu.”

Slim arms wrapped around his waist. “Ma’Teyam, be nice,” Xi whispered, covertly pinching him in the side. 

Forcing a polite smile, Netyam returned the gesture of respect with his free hand, the other had wormed its way up to cup the nape of Xi’s neck, effectively keeping her pinned to him. 

“My sister,” Ze’lu continued, introducing the small woman at his side Neteyam hadn’t noticed before. “Kah’lee.”

No wonder he hadn’t noticed her. Kah’lee in question had been completely hidden by her brother’s built. If Neteyam thought Xilä was small, Kah’lee was tiny- not human sized, but still small for a Na’vi woman. 

Nodding politely again after another jab to his side, he responded. “Nice to meet you, welcome to our home,” he said far too dryly before making their excuses to quickly drag Xilä away. 

~

Later on, Xi had been chatting with Kah’lee and W’aote who had shown up at her side again that night, when she spotted a familiar face lingering at the tent’s entrance. 

Excusing herself, she wove her way through the crowd of bodies, heading right out the tent and down the stone steps. 

“Leati!” she called at the retreating figure. “Are you not coming in? Why are you leaving?”

The gorgeous warrior turned and cocked her brow, arms folded with a scowl. “I told you already, I made no promises that would come by.” 

Xilä smiled, unfazed by her bitchy tone. “And yet you are here. I would not have invited you if I didn’t want you here, Leati,” she assured.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” she snapped. 

“Would you prefer it if I treated you unkindly, called you names and told you terrible hurtful lies?”

Leati swallowed uncomfortably. 

Huffing with an amused laugh. “Look. I’m not going to force you. But you should know there’s a spread of delicious food, lots of strong drinks and the most amazing cake that was made by my mother. So if you change your mind…” 

Xilä walked off without another word and headed back into the party. 

~

It was hard to keep up with his wife that night. Xilä was the most social he’d ever seen her be. 

She was quite the social butterfly, ping ponging all over the room as she seemed to want to have conversations with each and everyone in attendance.  

He would have had no issue with that before when there were only about fifteen people in attendance, but with every minute that flew by, someone new kept showing up. 

Now his home was packed. Not only that but the music seemed louder, people were screeching as they chatted, he had to kick out a couple who were very close to becoming indecent in their bed and he also had an ever growing migraine. 

“Lo’ak,” Neteyam growled, catching his brother by the scruff when he whizzed by, hands holding two large suspicious looking flasks. “Who the hell are all these people?” 

“Uhh, friends?” Lo’ak replied with a charming smile, fumbling with the pitchers in his hand. 

A familiar giggle had Neteyam’s head turning, and the sight alone had his blood boiling. Xilä stood with an unfamiliar male, laughing out loud at whatever he was saying, she patted his shoulder, tossing her head back in hysterics. 

The male's arm snaked around her waist when she was bumped from behind, stumbling right into his arms. 

“Oh yeah? Well then why don’t you tell me who the fuck currently has his hands all over my mate!” 

“Oh shit. Um, I don't actually know him- wait hey bro! Dammit.” 

Lo’ak hastily handed over the booze in his hands to the nearest person and scrambled to follow his brother. Neteyam was usually the responsible, calm and level headed brother. But Lo’ak knew that when it came to Xilä, all sane thoughts left his brother's head. 

“Do you mind unhanding my wife,” Neteyam all but growled as he tugged Xilä into his arms for the second time that night. 

“Neteyaam! Hiiiii my handsome! Look, this is my friend Villoon!” she slurred excitedly, spilling the contents of whatever it was she had in her cup. “Oopsie!” 

The male Na’vi who had raised his hands in surrender when Neteyam had murderously approached, winced. “Its- its Vilhon actually, and um she tripped, I was just steading her. We were only-”

But Neteyam had already blocked out the blabbering man, eyes on his wife instead. “Xilä,” he said, lifting her jaw to see her face clearly. “Are you drunk?” he asked disbelievingly, searching over her glassy eyes, flushed cheeks and lazy smile. 

“Oh fuck,” Lo’ak murmured, grabbing the cup out of her clutches and handing it off to a tipsy bypasser. 

“Shhhhh, don’t tell my husband,” she laughed giddily, stumbling over her own two feet when she tried to squirm out of his hold. “Wait, where’d my-my drink go?” she pouted. 

“Was this you?” Neteyam hissed at his brother, bodily restraining his writhing wife. “What did you give her?!”

“J-Just a bit of Spir’ytüs…I told her to sip it! I didn’t think she’d drown half a cup!” 

“Just a bit of Spir’ytüs?! Are you insane? That stuff is fucking potent!”

“I know! I-”

“You are very very tall,” Xilä suddenly said, reaching up to squish his cheeks together. “And very handsome,” she whisper-yelled. “I bet you’d make some really cute babies,” she said just as loud as she felt up his chest, causing Lo’ak to choke on a laugh.  

“Um, thanks babe,” he couldn’t help reply, halting her roaming hands. “Bro, get her some water, will you?”

“Yeah man,” Lo’ak said eagerly, relieved to make his escape for the moment. 

Guiding her over to a corner of the room, Neteyam crouched in front of her as she slumped into a pile of cushions.  

“Oh Great Mother, I love this song!” she suddenly squealed, “Kiri and I listen to it alllllll the t- I have to dance!”

“Nope,” he said seriously, catching her around the waist when she tried to escape. “We’re staying right here.” 

Xilä blinked at him with unfocused eyes. “You’re grumpy.”

“Yes.”

“Why?” she frowned sadly, forcefully crawling into his lap, uncaring about his personal space as she plastered herself to him. 

He made no fuss at the contact, helping her get comfortable, but quickly pulled his face away when she almost head butted him. 

“Because all night you have been testing my patience, Xilä. You’re ridiculously unaware of all the attention you’ve been getting and the one time I leave you to your own devices for a minute too long, you’re fucking intoxicated. Also, who the hell are all of these men you’re suddenly friends with?” 

“Wait, a-are you jealous?” she asked between a fit of titters. “T-that’s why you’re so up-set?” she hiccupped. 

Neteyam sighed, jaw working as he stared at her, unamused. “I don’t see how that’s funny. Am I not allowed to be upset when other men gawk at you or when they insist on putting their hands all over you?” 

Xilä beamed. “You’re so jealous, handsome. It’s so cuuuute,” she sang, wiggling in his lap in time to the beat of the song playing. 

“Shit. Don’t do that sweetheart,” he grunted, grabbing hold to still her hips. 

Unperturbed, and suddenly needy, she began to press kisses along his neck. 

“Xi-” his eyes screwed shut when she sucked on a sensitive spot. 

The moment her hand tried to sneak between them however, he snagged her wrist and pulled her away from him. 

“Xilä stop it!” he said firmly. 

His jaw dropped when tears welled in eyes and she began to cry. 

“Baby, why are you crying? Shit, I’m sorry,” he said gently, cupping her face tenderly. 

“I don’t know why I’m crying! I just am!” she snapped as she continued to sob. 

Neteyam was at a loss for words. He had no clue how to react. He had comforted his wife time and time again, but these tears weren’t due to pain or suffering….no, she was just drunk. 

“Bro…what did you do?” Lo’ak asked, crouching next to them, brows raised high at Xilä whose head was buried in his brother’s chest. 

“Don’t. Don’t even,” Neteyam warned, taking the water from him to offer it to his crying mate. 

Lo’ak sighed guiltily. “I messed up. I’m sorry, ‘Teyam.” 

“Yeah well, shit happens right?” Neteyam said, shooting him an “I guess I can forgive you,” glare that made his brother’s shoulders slump in relief.

“Lo, we should throw parties ALL the time,” Xi said dramatically, interrupting the brothers' moment. “Every. Day. Every-” she hiccupped, “every night.”

Despite the lingering traces of tears, she seemed to be back to her bubbly state again. 

“Fine by me, Xi-Xi,” Lo’ak laughed, ignoring Neteyam’s grumbles while he wiped his wife’s cheeks.

“Two hours.”

“What?”

“I'm giving you two hours to finish up the party and have my home spotless by the time I get back,” Neteyam said as he got to his feet, pulling Xi along with him. 

“Really?” the younger brother asked, ears raised in shock. 

“Yep. And for the love of God, please keep the horny ones out of our room.” 

Lo’ak laughed. “I can do that,” he assured. 

“Hey Xi!” W’aote called, running over. 

“Hiii!” Xilä called back, from where she’d been leaning against her husband. 

“This fucker again?” Neteyam grumbled under his breath. 

Fingers wrapping around her bicep to try and lead her away W’aote said, “I could really use your help against these skxawngs in the next round of-”

Neteyam knocked his hand away, effectively cutting off his speech. 

“Gimme a second,” he told his brother, passing a confused Xilä off to him. “I’ll meet you at the entrance.” 

Lo’ak frowned, gaze darting between his friend and his brother, before leading Xi away. 

W’aote swallowed nervously when it was only the two of them left. His eyes widened when the older Na’vi clamped a hand on his shoulder, fangs bared as he grinned dangerously. 

“You know Xilä is my mate, right?” 

W’aote winced when Neteyam squeezed his muscle. “Y-Yeah. Of course man.” 

“Good. Then act like it.”  

“Neteyam, it’s not-”

“I watched you tonight. You followed my wife around like a fucking pup. I don’t care if you say you only see her as a friend. But enough with the casual touching. Got it?”

“Got it. Sorry.” 

“Good talk,” he said, giving him one last meaningful squeeze before walking away. 

~

And that’s part 13!!!! A freaking rollercoaster if you ask me lol.

A big special shout out and hug to my friend Tori for all her help with this part. 💛

Also, it was getting wayyy too long, so the rest of the party will be in part 14.

Finally, all I’ll say is, enjoy the "peace & calm" of this one, because drama is soon to come 🙃

As always thank you for reading, please let me know your thoughts :)

Tags: @jakesullyfatjuicypeen @granddearduck @riatesullironalite @strawberri-blonde @earthling55 @innercreationflower @duckworthbean @gyuventure @btsiguess-kpop @blkmystery @neteswife @luvteyams

If you'd like to be tagged or I forgot you by accident, please let me know.

[odditycircus-2002]

Hi ✨ I hope you’re doing well could you do Valentine’s Day head cannons for Shang Tsung and Medusa Reader (both mk11 and mk1) 💖✨💕✨

A/N: Well, this is late as HELL! I am SO sorry for this because it came out during Midterms, and I was busy studying for all of those. But with Spring Break here, I can spare the energy and have time to finally answer this!😁😁😁 Also, I hope you don't mind me not having Valentine's Day heavily featured. It will be mentioned, though. Also, if you wanna know what the hell anon is referring to, please click the link here for the master list.

Valentine's Day with Shang Tsung and Medusa!Reader

MK11 Shang Tsung

Let's be honest. Every day is Valentine's Day between you and Shang Tsung, even though you are understandably occupied with your tasks under Shao Khan. However, that just makes every romantic gesture even more precious.

I mean, you both have a day of flowers and chocolate, and that's because you both hold fragments of each other's souls within your respective wedding rings. Not just out of sentiment but as a backup in case the other should perish.

But let's just say that You caught wind of the holiday and thought of it as the perfect excuse to gift your husband with a new statue you've titled "Lovebirds' Final Moment," which is a petrified couple holding each other as they look upon a threat in terror.

After surprising Shang Tsung with the statue, which he then placed just outside his study window, you eagerly explained Valentine's Day. For example, its origins date back to a third-century Roman feast that included sacrificial offerings and whipping women in hopes of making them fertile, and it became a far-tamer holiday over the centuries. Shang Tsung listened to every word as a plan began brewing.

For now, all Shang Tsung could give you in exchange was some new carnivorous plants native to Vaeternus to grow in your garden. To which you then responded by making love in the garden right then and there, before the petrified couple.

Afterward, his plan was conducted in secret. The Sorcerer had his servants find the best chocolate craftsman in Earthrealm and commission something odd. He then had the finished product delivered to him months after the holiday, wrapped in one of those red Valentine boxes, before he presented it during your anniversary feast.

With a flourish, Shang Tsung revealed a large chunk of chocolate meticulously carved to resemble a human heart. A gift that's basically the Sorcerer's way of saying that you have his heart. You then took a nibble off, as did the rest of your snakes, moaning as you savored the treat that was so rare during your time.

Then, you got a delicious idea by taking another bite of the chocolate before kissing Shang Tsung and pushing the chocolate into his mouth. Letting him taste just how sweet his heart is to her. Not surprisingly, this ended with you both having passionate sex on the banquet table right then and there, with both of you tasting chocolate.

MK1 Shang Tsung

Before you and Shang Tsung had a falling out (Shang Tsung turning you into a gorgon-like creature), you often set aside time from your mutually busy schedules to sit down and have some tea. Sometimes, you would surprise Shang Tsung with meals that you made using recipes from your home canton.

Once, Shang Tsung surprised you with a chocolate-filled tray during one of these tea breaks. A treat that you immediately began to salivate over but one you didn't receive until you paid Shang Tsung with a kiss. One that you readily agreed to before devouring the rare treats, moaning in delight at the taste. Shang Tsung, unable to help himself, asked for a taste, which he received by kissing you on the lips; the taste of the sweet treat lingering on your tongue made all the sweeter by his lips. The Sorcerer was grinning ear to ear when he pulled away to gaze at your flushed expression.

Sometimes, Shang Tsung would bring flowers to give a bit of "color" to the room, or so he claims. But you and he both knew they were meant as gifts for you, often flowers you have a fondness for or ones with specific meanings such as devotion and loyalty.

Sometimes, it's not unusual to add the flowers' petals, especially poisonous ones, into your tea for extra "flavor." This is a habit that Shang Tsung was concerned about before you explained how you just enjoy the sensation the extra poison gives you and how it only builds up your immunity. You assured Shang Tsung that you would never add poison to his tea or meal, as it wastes good poison. A comment that got a chuckle out of the Sorcerer, as he knew you were being honest.

While the upcoming Sorcerer didn't always like how you made the tea, sometimes finding it too bitter, he genuinely enjoyed sitting with you in a moment of reprieve. After the events of the game, he sometimes finds himself missing the meals you would prep just for him and you. Even if he can try the dishes elsewhere, they never taste like yours.

You, however, just wanted to forget your joyous time with the traitorous Sorcerer, as reminiscing on them made his betrayal sting even more. However, it seems you're unable to even if you wanted to, as you often would receive "mysterious" gifts consisting of flowers or shiny trinkets. Although you know who the gifts are from, you would often burn them or throw them away immediately afterward. You don't tell anyone, even Baraka or Syzoth, about these "gifts".

During an Earthrealm holiday called "Valentine's Day", not long after Baraka gifted you a heart-shaped box of assorted chocolate, you would wake up the next morning to find a similarly shaped box addressed to you. However, this box was wrapped in lace and looked professionally made, inside was an assortment of chocolate carved to look like human hearts and rodents for your head full of snakes. There was a note inside that read "A reminder that you still have my heart". You briefly gave a small grin at the gesture, remembering the first time Shang Tsung gifted you such a treat. You then scowled before you disposed of the box, not putting it past Shang Tsung to have either poisoned it or drugged it with a love potion.

Playlist while writing this

"Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga

"Babooshka" by Kate Bush

"Judas" by Lady Gaga

"Sway" by Michael Buble

[bullet-prooflove]

Hi I just discovered your blog and I’m so happy to see someone writing fic for the FBI show!

Can I request Scola + Stealing kisses at the break of dawn?

Tagging: @trublu2u@burningpeachpuppy@upsteadlogic@noxytopy@kmc1989

Companion piece to Little Changes - Stuart notices when you start to make little changes.

You aren’t in bed when Stuart wakes up, your side is vacant, the sheets cold. He sighs because this is the third night in a row he’s woken up alone and he’s concerned it’s going to become a habit.

He finds you in the living room, curled up under the couch blanket, a cup of tea clasped to your chest as the TV plays in the background.

“You wanna talk about it?” He asks you as he sits down on the couch alongside of you.

“What’s the point?” You ask him, your gaze fixed on the TV as your palm rubs over the nape of your neck. “It doesn’t change anything.”

You’ve been like this since the appointment with the fertility doctor, since you found out you’re the reason that the two of you can’t have kids. You’d been trying for over a year before you decided to see a specialist. You thought she’d tell you it was just stress, that you needed to cut down on your hours, relax a little more instead the news was worse.

You were in menopause, early onset.

Apparently there’s a history of it in your family. You’d had no idea because you don’t speak to your mother and your father hates discussing ‘women’s things’.

You’ve become withdrawn since then, burying yourself into your work, staying out late. A couple of times he’d found you at the bar alone, drinking whiskey and studying your phone. He knows you’ve been looking up ways to reverse it, researching, he also knows you’ve come up dry. There’s nothing you can do and that’s the part that’s got you twisted up in knots, you’re used to fighting your problems and this is something you can’t.

“Sasha…” He says softly, his hands cradling your face between his hands. “This is not your fault.”

He can tell you don’t believe it, he can see it in your eyes. He wishes there was something he could do to take away the pain but the agony you’re feeling, he feels it too. The difference is he’s pragmatic, he knows there’s other options, he’s open to them but right now you’re not. The anguish, it’s too raw, too recent.

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” You say quietly as you climb into his lap and begin to undress. “I just want to forget.”

You fuck him hard, the light from the sunrise cascading over his bare skin as you kiss him like it’s the last time, because for you it is the last time. This is your gift to him, your final goodbye because tomorrow you’re leaving him.

You’re going to set him free so he can have the family that he wants, the one that you can’t give him.

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[darkside-writing]

Hashirama giving Madara his sister for peace:

Warnings: 18+ only, everyone is above 18, non-con themes, Incestuous relationship, grooming/predatory behavior, gang r*ape scenario, mentions of blood, forced impregnation, Female reader, dark content, do not like - do not read!

During the warring states period, negotiations for peace between the Uchiha and Senju were quickly deteriorating after the recent death of Izuna. The Uchiha demanded revenge for the brother of their leader, yet the loss of life and drastic drop in birth rates due to war has endangered the prestigious clan to becoming near extinct. With fertile women diminishing and the survival of the Uchiha doomed to almost certain death, the Senju would offer a treaty of peace brokered by Hashirama in order to preserve both clans. The contract would offer Hashirama’s own blood, his youngest sister, as a token for peace between the feuding clans. The contract would state that once the Senju woman was impregnated with the seed of an Uchiha then the two clans would be bonded by blood to bring peace. Hashirama offering his own sister to Madara would be the ultimate sign of trust and satisfies the Uchiha hunger for revenge of Izuna’s death. However, while Hashirama proposed this idea and the Elders approved of the contract - the Senju brothers still do not want their youngest and only sister to be used as a catalyst for retribution. It would be arranged that Hashirama will observe the rape of his sister in order to ensure her safety and the completion of the ceremony. After the ceremony, she will not be allowed back into her brothers home and must birth the new generation of Uchiha and Senju blooded children to ensure peace.

The partnership was celebrated by the newly formed Konoha and those who praised the transaction between the Uchiha and Senju. The ceremony of exchanging the bride from Hashirama to Madara would be widely celebrated with feasts planned in accordance. Everyone is already asking when the breeding will take place so that Madara’s virile seed will soon be planted in the bride’s fertile womb to ensure a successful pregnancy. The entire success of the peace treaty relies on the breeding of Hashirama’s sister. Weeks beforehand the young bride would be given fertility drugs in her tea and lavish foods in attempt to make her plump for carrying children. During the ceremony, people are praising the bride for taking on the honor to birth the mixed blood of Senju and Uchiha. While everyone pampers the young bride, exchanged words between Hashirama and Madara are whispered behind her back. Once the Elders declare the ceremony almost finished, it would be time to sweep up the young girl and take her to a reclusive area that was prepared in advance for the breeding. Hashirama comes along with his sister, cooing into her ear words of encouragement that everything will be okay. He would be lying if he did not admit that this entire ceremony has made him aroused - deep down wanting to be the one to impregnate the youngest Senju girl. Since an early age, Hashirama has desired his sister - even planning to marry her had the treaty not existed. However, he is willing to share his sister with his childhood friend for the sake of Konoha. Madara, on the other hand, has been eager to breed the girl since meeting her for the first time as children. His cock swells and balls ache at the thought of soon making her into his little housewife. She is the perfect wife - submissive, beautiful and trained since birth to be a homemaker.

The anticipation of spearing the young bride on his cock has Madara acting swiftly. His hands tear her silk kimono into tresses as his crimson eyes eagerly drink in the sight of the mousy girl. Hashirama has resigned himself to a chair in the corner of the room to observe the scene, his eyes never straying away from his baby sister. The observance of her assault is essential in order to ensure she is properly bred. The poor girl is unsure of what to do but luckily with her big brother in the room to orchestrate. She easily follows his orders and allows Madara to push her onto the plush bed. Being the youngest Senju sibling has led to years of Hashirama checking his sisters small pussy for signs of assault. Easily the Uchiha spreads her satin soft thighs apart, sucking in a breath at the sight of her swollen pussy and untouched hymen just waiting to be ruined. Hashirama, on the other hand, is practicing self restraint at the sight before him. His best friend about to devour his sister, one of his darkest fantasies about to come alive. Madara does not like noisy women and demands she keep her bubbling cries and whimpers to a minimum, now is the time to breed only. Without any preparation from the Uchiha, he takes his erect cock in hand and pushes his tip against her virginal hole. The wail from the young girl as her hole is violated causes Hashirama to pull out his fully erect cock and stroke himself to the rhythm of Madara’s thrusts. His mind is reeling and emotions seething at his young precious sister being raped by his best friend, but he can’t stop fucking his own fist. Madara is no better, his cock is being constricted like a vice and virginal blood coats his dick as he cruelly takes his new bride. The purpose is to breed, her pleasure is not important. However, Hashirama can no longer be the third wheel in this important ceremony. He rises from his seat and makes way to his poor, dear sister. Her face is coated in tears and lips trembling as she begs for help from her older brother. It almost breaks his heart at the sight of his sister begging for nii-chan’s help, but he knows this is necessary. With words of love spilling from Hashirama, he points his cock towards her trembling lips to ask for entrance. The poor bride is completely devastated that her older brother, once her protector, is now forcing his cock inside her cheeks and into her throat.

Madara is almost perplexed at the sight of Hashirama throat fucking his own younger sister, but he can’t deny that it makes his cock throb at the sight. Hashirama is begging for his sisters forgiveness as he fucks into her throat without self restraint. With the visual of his new bride’s mouth being assaulted, Madara pushes her thighs closely to her chest in a mating press. He needs to cum quickly in order to impregnate her before Hashirama changes his mind. Sounds of quiet sobs and glucking on cock resonates inside the room as the poor bride is pushed and pulled between the two men she once felt safe with. The older men look at each other as they reach their end quickly, a silent threat and promise to each other. Without restraint Madara empties his load into the broken bride, Hashirama quickly following by bestowing his own cum into her throat straight to her belly. The ceremony is complete with no chances of the young girl not being pregnant. With gentle kisses from Hashirama, he praises his sister for allowing him to love her in this way and claims he is proud of her. Madara cuts the loving moment short by carrying his new bride home where he plans to shape her into becoming his perfect little housewife. Soon enough the young wife will be heavily pregnant with the blood of Uchiha and Senju mixing together to create a new generation of strong shinobi. It would be no surprise that the pregnancy would be extremely successful, Senju women being known for their fertility. Hashirama wonders if it would be so bad if he impregnated his sister as well.

[celticcrossanon]

Hi CC, I hope you are faring well in the heat these days. It must be challenging.

I have questions about MM' pregnancies. If the children weren't birthed by MM, is it possible that she will champion the rights of women who have fertility issues - saying IVF, surrogacy, and even donated sperm/eggs (which I don't believe they used), is the norm. I read years back that Sophie was considering IVF for her second pregnancy.

Another possibility is that Archie was conceived before the wedding. Again she may argue that having children with a partner who isn't a spouse is common these days.

I'm also curious why they got engaged when they did. Was there a rush that was real or pretend? (Eg pregnancy that was faked or really did not go to term.) There has been speculation.

Even though both children look like their parents, something seems off. There's smoke and somewhere there is a fire that has legal ramifications for the BRF. Ultimately she presented as pregnant both times. So if she wasn't, the duplicity would be next level!

Thanks

Hi Nonny,

It was and is challenging, but we have some cooler weather for Xmas, which is nice (it heats up again after the 26th, I think).

Meghan may try to do something with fertility issues to get herself out of the hole she is in, but that will do nothing for the main issue. If the children were not born of her body then they have no place in the Line of Succession, as they were not pushed into the world by the legal spouse of Prince Harry. It is harsh but the law is clear - if the legal wife of a royal does not carry you and push you out into the world (or have a caesarean), then you are not born 'of their body' and therefore you have no place in the line of succession. Making a fuss about fertility issues some 4? 5? years after the event will not make your deception any less of a deception, and it will not do away with the legal consequences of your actions.

The wedding was on 19 May 2018, Archie was supposedly born 6 May 2019. That is about a year between the wedding and the birth. If Meghan was pregnant when she married Harry, Archie would have been born at the most 8-9 months after the wedding, so say Feb 2019. There is no reason why the couple could not have announced a 'honeymoon baby' and then announce the actual birth if that was the case. In February Meghan was still going everywhere clutching her huge bump, so no early birth for her.

I have read on the reason for the rushed wedding. From memory, there were indications in the cards that Meghan faked a pregnancy to get the knot tied quickly. I can read on that again. The other theory that I incline towards is that they were already married in some sort of ceremony somewhere, although in that case I am not sure why they were given the highly inappropriate big white wedding.

I believe that Meghan wasn't pregnant both times. Her physical changes did not match the natural changes of pregnancy, and we actually had some obstetricians and their relatives writing in at the time saying the pregnancy was a badly done fake (I know, take all tea with a truckful of salt etc). What convinced me was the unnatural changes in her baby bump, like the ones below. No one inflates/deflates like that over an hour, or even a day. I also believe she has no morals or conscience that would prevent her from faking a pregnancy and then pretending to give borth. Other people may think differently, of course.

[bijoumikhawal]

Bite the Hand that Starves You: Chapter Three

Fic as of this chapter contains: discussion of abortion, references to drug use, intersex and trans characters, torture/graphic violence, colonialism and its aftermath, implied sexual violence,

Heads up: this chapter has some of Garak ruminating on his experience with bioessentialism, sex, and gender in a society that I think is pretty fucked up in approach to the topic and not friendly to those who perform gender "incorrectly", and I don't think Garak necessarily has an internal understanding separate from that even if he's uncomfortable with it. In general this fic is complicated because Garak is canonically effeminate and that compounds with the themes here in a new way (+ a lot of people I think would view the "progressive" thing as Garak shedding his effeminacy, which I find insulting from my own perspective as someone effeminate who is a "stereotype").

There is also a pair of scenes where it is ambigious if consent to sex was given or not, but it is not graphic. The first is when Barkan comes into the bathroom with Garak, the second is the scene after Julian and Dr. Ammshah schedule Garak's appointment. There is another with a violent undertone, which begins with "Garak had had an odd nightmare".

Kardasi: Peikirvi - would translate to something like "concubine", specifically refers to an individual that socially presents as male, and was assigned such at birth, but can carry children (and often could impregnate someone else), who is legally bound to someone. Usually this is done with a pre-existing couple who has fertility issues.

Cheoche and cheyeda: could be translated as something like "patron" and "vassal". "Che" in Kardasi refers to charity, which is viewed as a duty to society rather than a choice made of good will. More specifically, a cheoche is a wealthy family/clan who takes on the affairs of a poorer or weaker one (the cheyeda), legally binding the two together for several generations. This can be typified in three ways: the cheyeda being a family who was once great and has become destitute, the family of a beloved artist, or a family of the "service class". For the latter, having a cheoche often provides a stable income, food, housing, and better schooling and training. Some cheyeda even have inheritance rights from their cheoche. However, while the relationship is glorified as going above and beyond ones duty, it is a system rife with abuse. The Tain and Garak families are bound this way.

--

There had been a time, just before his age of emergence, when Garak had stared in the mirror trying to see just what was different from other boys and him. He wasn't the sort who was recognized for his unique position at birth- it had come later, at a milestone medical exam.

He hardly acknowledged the mirror as he exited the shower now, quickly pulling on a robe before the water could chill him.

He'd combed and squeezed the water out of his hair before stepping out- Julian had gotten him a warming tile for his pomade, which he'd set up before stepping in. The scent of warm wax filled the room, along with the essence of herbs purported as beneficial.

It was a frivolous thing. Garak had a pull out stove for making tea that he could warm the tin on just as well. But it did make his routine a little faster.

He dug his fingers into the pale green liquid, hot enough to be just this side of uncomfortable. As he tugged it through his hair, he could already see it resolidifying, leaving his fingers cool again.

Even after the diagnosis, his recategorization had been inconsistent, even private, which was his value. Would he be here at all if he was not recognized for passing between spheres? Women were not well suited to outside work, in the immediate sense and the sense of borders. Garak was not a woman, but he filled the role of one for the sake of biology, as well as the role of a man. His primary root in manhood meant that was how he passed through the world. The secondary root ruled how he had to live once the doors were closed.

It prickled along the back of his neck, the practicality of it all. Would he even know his own body if it wasn't so?

He tried not to think about the whole matter. He always had carried on that way; he had redoubled his efforts after… after his exile. He was quite good at it.

Most of the time. He'd been too good, lately.

He had behaved differently from other boys.

No one who knew commented upon it, precisely, as related. But it was… a trope, in some ways. In general, what one was born as influenced the behavior, if everything was well with the mind. When one behaved differently from other boys, you could assume two things: madness, or two roots. Because of his privacy, the former was often assumed. Until after Romulus, that is...

He'd run a comb through his hair again once he was done, to make sure the pomade was distributed evenly.

He clicked off the warming tile.

And if you need someone- to talk to, to help you, to-

Garak sighed, tied his robe tighter, and opened a comms line on his terminal.

---

Garak had had an odd nightmare, after Barkan had essentially proposed, the weeks between then and the ceremony (he had to inform his household, and the military, of his new addition, after all).

He was in his old bedroom again, down in the basement. That was how he knew it was a dream.

Someone was in the room with him. His limbs, eyelids, blanket, were all so heavy, he could not look to see who, or reach out, but he knew. Who else would slip into bed with him as he slept?

Tains weight shifted on the mattress. For whatever reason- the shift made Garak realize why his limbs felt heavy. They were manacled- securing him to the bed.

"Peikirvi don't get a dowry or dower. But I deserve compensation, Elim. I'm giving up something very important, after all."

It was- an old custom. Between a cheoche and service class cheyeda- other cheyeda, they had no such custom, for the cheoche demand compensation before allowing a marriage, no matter the type. And the service class only had it if they were lucky enough to have a cheoche. If the suitor didn't pay, the cheoche revoked whatever blessings had been given, and kept the... piece of their household.

The chains, in the meantime, prevented elopement.

It had been outlawed as something you could only do to subjugated peoples, decades ago.

---

Julian didn't know what he expected when Garak asked him to come see him. The robe, certainly, was not high on the list.

"Where was that a few months ago?" Julian asked lightly. "Don't tell me you had pajamas that whole time."

Garak stepped back to let him in. "I didn't care to change into them at the time, doctor."

Julian felt the urge to touch him, but kept his hands to himself, remembering the last time he'd done that in this room.

"Is everything alright?"

"Just fine." Garak sat down. “We haven't been talking to each other as friends much lately.”

Julian sat as well, following his lead. “No, we haven't. Are you still struggling with your appetite-”

“No doctor talk.” Garak held up a hand. “I called you here as a friend,” he emphasized, “and that means I don't want to hear a word about my… medical concerns.”

“Alright.” Julian clasped his hands together, for want of a better thing to do with them. “What do you want to talk about, then?”

Garak leaned back. “Nothing in particular.”

Ah. What a load of bullocks. But Julian would play along. “I apologize, but I've been too busy to finish the book you gave me last. Work.”

“Slacking off on our cultural exchanges…” Garak said with distant disapproval, as he looked to his left, lips parted. “What am I to do with you?”

Stay. Julian felt his cheeks warm at the odd thought. It wasn't as though Garak was deathly ill this time. This all would be over and done within a week, most likely. “I don't know, Docent Garak. What will you do with me?”

Garak’s breath caught, and he turned to look at Julian. He closed his mouth. “Remedial discussion should suffice.”

Julian laughed. He'd leaned forwards at some point, and he didn't bother correcting himself. “Alright.”

“Gender relations. These are relevant in every Cardassian work of literature, and in every aspect of Cardassian life overall. What have you observed?”

Julian leaned back. “Everyone is restricted in their movements and behaviors, women a bit more so. Ornamentation is more for women as well, but not entirely, and it's not necessarily seen in a bad light. Men are pushed towards the military, but in a lot of the older settings there's plenty of writers too. Er… men are generally seen as emotional, women as more stoic, able to separate themselves from things…” Julian trailed off. “Don't look at me like that, you put me on the spot and asked me about something rather complicated!”

“The most basic, distilled statement I can give you is this: men and women are distinct, but considered equal, on Cardassia.” Garak says, face impassive.

Julian thinks on it for a moment, and catches the quiet, hidden meaning. Those which are not distinct…

“I see. Interesting.”

Garak gave him a wan smile. “Is it? Are they not distinct to you? Or perhaps not equal?”

“Like I said before: it's complicated. What is a man, afterall? What is a woman? What-” Julian thought carefully. “I might see one of each that look and act almost entirely the same, within minutes of each other. Perhaps of different cultures, different contexts, or perhaps not. They are distinct but the distinction is- personal. Intimate.”

“Intimate.” Garak’s expression grew slightly solemn. “You would use that word, wouldn't you?”

Julian blinked. Clearly he'd missed something. “Is it wrong? When something is a matter of self knowledge- isn't that intimate, perhaps the most intimate something can be?”

A bitter air had entered the room, and it only intensified. The word choice had struck a nerve Julian hadn't realized was there to strike.

“Garak, I really didn't mean to-”

Garak looked at him and Julian immediately fell quiet. It seemed like the wise choice.

“Didn't you?” Garak rose from his chair, bending over Julian, hands gripping the armrests as yet unused. “You stopped yourself for a moment, earlier. You were considering your words. Is carelessness a common trait for a doctor?”

“I had my attention on the subject we were discussing. I apologize-”

“Whatever for? Whatever for , my dear doctor?”

“For not knowing that might upset you.”

“Interesting. That you claim ignorance. That you apologize for it.”

“Garak-”

“I don't think you're ignorant at all in the matter of intimacy.”

Oh, where had that come from?

Julian inhaled. “Look, I don't-”

“Don't what, doctor?!”

They'd ended up on the floor, somehow. Julian gripped Garak’s shoulders. “Garak! Listen to me.” Julian paused, uncertain of what to say, but knowing he had to say something. Garak looked at him, wild eyed.

“I'm here because I care about you. Because I want to support you. I didn't-” Julian's eyes fell to Garak’s robe, disheveled by their arrival to the floor. He pulled the lapels closed, looking back up at Garak. “I didn't come for anything else. I didn't mean anything else, than to- comfort you.”

Garak’s eyes were deeply unnerving. Julian had had a teacher with protuberant blue eyes once- they reminded him of a frog. She knew her eyes were somewhat unnerving, and put them to good use against any student she deemed necessary. The unease now, wasn’t that Garak normally looked odd. He simply looked like he was…

Julian was very careful where he touched Garak now, cupping his elbows to pull him up and back into his chair.

He slumped on the floor next to it. “I don't want anything else.”

He heard the soft rustle of fabric behind him- probably Garak gathering himself to sit properly. He could almost hear Garak thinking. Searching for the admission of guilt. The crack in the rhetoric to poke at till it all fell apart. A weakness to use.

“I don't.” Julian said again, resting his head back against the chair. Nails scratching against upholstery. Restraining the urge to reach out and what? Violence or intimacy- or both?

Garak rested a hand over Julian’s eyes. “You couldn’t get that out of me even if you wanted it.” Garak said quietly.

Julian sighed. They were not talking about sex. “No.” Not without medical intervention and a lot of planning, anyway.

“Why didn’t you say that?” Remind him of it, to be specific.

“Because it doesn’t make me safe, Garak.” Julian got up, shaking away the hand. “I could hurt you anyway. I’m uniquely positioned to hurt you. Surely, you know it doesn't make me safe?”

Garak was gripping the seat of the chair he'd previously sat in, nails digging into the upholstery again. “Of course.”

In the heat of the moment, no. But Julian didn't need to be told- logic didn't always stay steady in the heat of the moment. It had a nasty habit of flying off somewhere and returning just in time for you to feel stupid.

Julian extended a hand, then took it back, unsure of what he'd meant to do with it in the first place. “Of course.” He echoed, quieter.

“Do you ever want to…”

“Not really.” Julian doesn’t say that it doesn’t matter what he wants, he simply can’t. Refusing is easier to understand.

“I do, sometimes.” Garak admits.

Julian almost tells him that he prefers when Garak pulls his leg in ways that he has to carefully consider before realizing he’s lying, but he doesn’t.

---

Dr. Ammshah sat instead of standing, leaving Garak higher up than her. "How are you today, Mr. Garak?"

Her arrival had gone smoothly, though Julian hadn't gotten a chance to thank Sisko or anyone in hospitality or logistics yet. He always preferred to give a two weeks heads up, but, well...

Garak had his smiling mask in place. "Quite well, thank you."

"Glad to hear it. I've already spoken with Dr. Bashir a fair amount about you. Today, if I can, I'd like to do a physical examination, with Dr. Bashir observing, and discuss your care options."

Julian watched the subtleties of their interaction, rapt. He was hardly a stranger to bedside manner, but there was an underlying current to how Dr. Ammshah spoke and handled herself. Not just her body language, which Julian knew carried a second layer of weight in Kardasi, but something else intangible. He couldn't quite tell if it was effective yet.

"Do what you must."

Dr. Ammshah inclined her head, then handed Garak an already prepared gown. "We'll give you some privacy to change, then."

---

Barkan came up behind Garak while he was washing his face. Garak forced himself to continue like normal.

"Elijje. I don't need to tell you we'll soon be withdrawing from Bajor." He curled Garak’s hair around one finger. "The Bajorans know it. They're growing more bold and more and more of them are accepting the words of terrorists."

"I'll be careful."

Barkan tightened his twisting of Garak’s hair. "I know. You always are. But, for my peace of mind… would you stay in our quarters for the next few weeks?"

Garak stopped what he was doing and turned to look at Barkan, pulling his hair out of his grasp. "Pardon? All the time?"

"It's only for a few weeks. I'd have us leave sooner, but I can't leave wrapping up the mining project to Skrain- he has enough to handle with me helping him right now."

Garak couldn't help looking around the room. "You could send me ahead…"

"No. I considered it, but there's too much going on. We've already lost three ships with Cardassians trying to leave."

"Barkan-"

"This isn't a request, Elijje." Barkan grabbed his hand, and Garak only just resisted the urge to twist their positions and break his arm. Instead he was pulled into an embrace. Barkan threaded his hand into Garak’s hair, pushing his cheek hard into Barkan’s chest. "I've already discussed it with Skrain. He agrees with me. There's a voice lock on the door and Odo has flagged the security feed on the hall outside."

Garak took in a heavy breath. He knows. He knows something- probably about the mess with Procal.

This is just a pretext.

Barkan had the gall to laugh. "Ah, look at you shake. It's alright, Elijje. Nothing bad will happen so long as we're both smart about it." He stroked Garak’s hair. "Why don't you come back to bed with me for a bit before I have to work?"

"I dont-"

"Come now, it'll help you get your mind off things."

Barkan had him from behind, pressing his face into the mattress the whole time.

He kissed the fresh bloody bite on Garak’s neck. "Don't forget to take your hypo today. Fulfill your duty to me, Elijje."

---

"Feet flat on the biobed for me, knees up."

Garak’s chest rose and fell with a heavy, silent breath, but he did as he was told. Julian squeezed his forearm before rejoining Dr. Ammshah, who was pushing the gown up.

Garaks' whole body was taught like a strung instrument. Under the gown was grey, grey, grey, then pink under Dr. Ammshah's careful gloves (green), much like Garak’s mouth. She palpated there, pointed something out to Julian here. Julian took note of it all, distracting himself from the who and taking in the what.

She had been right in her guess as to what anatomy Garak had.

Once satisfied, she pulled the gown back down past Garak’s grey knees again, and hit the button on the biobed so Garak was sitting up.

"Everything looks mostly normal so far, but I suspect you're deficient in several vitamins, so I'll have Dr. Bashir test for that."

Garak nodded, mask apparently having fallen during the exam and struggling to get back up again.

"Obviously, you want a termination. In addition to that, I can flush your spermacathe so this won't happen again, though I'll need to do it manually. We can also remove the uterus-"

"No. Thank you, Dr. Ammshah, but I would prefer…" Garak paused. "To remain whole, with all my organs."

Dr. Ammshah nodded, unsurprised. "I feel it important to remind patients of their options, even if they're unpleasant." She looked at Julian, pulling him in, and then back to Garak. "The termination and flush will take about two or three hours. How conscious would you like to be for the latter?"

"I'll have to think on it."

"That's fine. Doctor, do you have any time slots that work with his normal schedule this week?"

"A few." Julian turned to Garak. "3 days from now, at 1900?"

"That will be fine, Dr. Bashir." Garak said, eyes closed to the infirmary lighting.

---

Garak laid in bed, controlling his breathing and meditating until the buzz of the wire responding to the morning's activities was background noise.

He sat up. Barkan knew, and that meant Garak needed out.

His exit was obvious. He'd have to kill Barkan- Ideally, Dukat too, they were the main two who'd seen him and knew his real name. Others could be dealt with more subtly. He needed to send a message to the Order, but he knew it'd say just that. Eliminate Lokar. Go to this sage house. Await further instructions for extraction.

The odds of killing Lokar and Dukat were low, even under normal circumstances. With the lock and watch protocols- unless Dukat made a personal visit, Garak could forget it. The Order would have to arrange something for Dukat later.

Garak touched his cheek. This move had always been risky, because Barkan was high profile and knew his name. By the end of this he'd probably end up with a new face.

That'd have to wait for later consideration. How was he to do this?

He'd check, of course, but if Barkan suspected him, he'd have swept the room. Any obvious disruptions would be gone, and it was possible most, if not all his hiding spots had been found. None of their medicines or bath products were ready for use as a fast acting poison. The lacing from his undergarment might work- and he had his knife, but ugh. Stabbing someone to death was a very involved, and loud process.

Garak tried his comms unit. Signal error, it proclaimed.

"Replicator, red leaf tea, hot."

"That request cannot be filled at this time due to limited resources."

"I'm sure." Garak muttered. His own comms would be easy enough to fix, at least.

---

Julian hadn't expected the first case to be the only one. Kurowaat was rather contagious, after all- there'd been a case of it in his first year at the Academy. In the heart of the Federation, most were vaccinated against it- bit it still ripped through the students, causing headaches, embarrassing laundry, and for the unlucky unvaccinated few, two weeks of missed class thanks to the full effect of the virus.

In Starfleet Medical, the saying was that it came in fives- if one person had it, four more would follow.

Most on Bajor were not vaccinated. And Julian was wondering if that phrase was grossly optimistic.

Dr. Ammshah naturally volunteered to help. She primarily was the Cardassian equivalent to an Ob/Gyn, but even without her specialty being relevant, she was still a doctor. One of the senior ones in her clinic at that. Julian had her checking in on the non-Bajorans they had coming in and helping with admin- scheduling, managing the shift madness, tracking the supplies they had and their use rate.

That still left plenty for Julian, of course. Most of the patients were Bajoran.

The station infirmary was, intentionally, too small to serve all residents. If the shop next door ever went out of business, he was going to immediately request to commandeer the space and start putting in work orders.

For now, the break rooms, private rooms, and quarantine bay were just as packed as the main bay, and Julian had given all medical staff a crash course on how to bunk biobeds as painlessly as possible. The surgical bay and his office remained empty for now.

Currently they had 46 patients with kurowaat, and more coming. Julian was going to have to go through his early patients and send the alert ones who had someone they lived with home with a good supply of diozaine to ride out the last week of the illness. And instructions to hydrate and change sheets often. But it'd be a few more days before he could do that.

He sat down between seeing patients and wondered if the sheer numbers he was calculating could justify using one of the storage bays from the aphasia virus incident last year.

It wasn't really an emergency. The infirmary being too small was just that much of a problem. He had enough supplies, enough staff- he didn't expect any deaths.

[asoiafandotherbooks]

TWOIAF/Fire & Blood: The Pregnancies And Deaths Of Two Queens

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

It has been half a year since Maegor wed his Black Brides. Edwell Celtigar, the King’s Hand, announced that Queen Jeyne was with child. Maegor announced Queen Elinor’s pregnancy shortly afterwards.

Rhaena Targaryen never had an announced pregnancy. Was someone slipping her moon tea or did the incestuous Targaryen genes collide and prevent any pregnancy?

Maegor “showered both women with gifts and honors, and granted new lands and offices to their fathers, brothers, and uncles”.

Queen Jeyne was six months pregnant when she went into labor. She delivered a stillborn child “as monstrous as the one Alys Harroway had birthed , a legless and armless creature possessed of both male and female genital.” Jeyne died shortly afterwards.

Maegor and Herny VIII have several parallels when it comes to their wives:

Katherine of Aragorn/Ceryse Hightower – the first, faithful wife who is set aside

Anne Boleyn/Alys Harroway – executed on baseless charges

Jane Seymour/Jeyne Westerling – the pregnant wife who dies while giving birth

Anne of Cleves/Lord Celtigar’s sister – the “ugly” one the king rejects

Catherine Howard/Tyanna of the Tower – The only real resemblance between the two is their execution

Catherine Parr/Elinor Costayne/Rhaena Targaryen – The survivors after the king’s death

Men blamed the stillbirth on Maegor. They said he was cursed as was a kinslayer who made war against the Faith and the High Septon, defied the gods, committed murder and incest, adultery and rape. “His privy parts were poisoned, his seed full of worms, the gods would never grant him a living son.”

Maegor came to a different conclusion: He had Ser Owen Bush and Ser Maldon Moore to seize Queen Tyanna and deliver her to the dungeons. Tyanna made a full confession: she poisoned Jeyne Westerling and Alys Harroway’s wombs. She promised the same would happen to Elinor’s whelp.

Maegor slew Tyanna himself, “cutting out her heart with Blackfyre and feeding it to his dogs”.

The next month, Elinor delivered a “malformed and stillborn child, an eyeless boy born with rudimentary wings”.

The question remains: Did Tyanna poison the wombs of the three women or did Maegor’s genetics/nature of his conception play a factor in the stillbirths? We know Tyanna “confessed” but that could have been Tyanna goading Maegor into a murderous rage to ensure a quick death. Tyanna, of all people, would know what Maegor is capable of and would want to avoid an “Alys/Viserys” fate.

 I believe Tyanna caused the deaths of Alys Harroway and Visenya Targaryen. I’m not sure if Tyanna factored into Jeyne Westerling’s stillbirth. Jeyne’s child didn’t have any of the typical characteristics of the Targaryen “dragon babies” that pop up throughout the bloodline. I’d say there is a slim chance. I don’t know if Tyanna would be foolish enough to poison Jeyne in the same manner as Alys. Tyanna would have been smart enough to realize Maegor would come to the conclusion that he did and it would have ended badly for her (which it did).

Elinor’s stillbirth was pure Targaryen “dragon baby”.

The bigger question remains…was Maegor infertile?

Maegor was married to Ceryse for 18 years (separated for 5), wed to Alys for 6 years, and wed to Tyanna for 6 years. It is unknown if he took any lovers outside of the marital bed. I know an alleged bastard of Maegor will turn up during the Great Council but his claim is dubious. If Maegor had a bastard, even from a member of the smallfolk, he would have brought him/her to court if only to prove he could sire a child. His inability to sire a child has been hanging over his head for decades - Maegor has blamed Ceryse but until he sired a child, the question of who is infertile remains unknown.

If Maegor isn’t infertile, he suffers from low fertility. He was married for decades – at times to multiple women – and it only resulted in three known pregnancies.

He never sired a child with Ceryse Hightower. We can’t say for certain if Ceryse was barren as she had no other known lovers besides Maegor. Maegor claimed she was barren, but his infertility could have been the issue.

The first wife of Maegor to become pregnant was Alys Harroway. She gave birth to a stillborn, deformed son in the third month of pregnancy. The stillborn baby did not have the characteristics of the stillborn “dragon” babies that Laena, Rhaenyra, and Daenerys will later give birth to. So, either a stillbirth caused by non-magical defects or one induced by Tyanna via poison or magical means. We will never know if Alys would be able to conceive again as she was executed for alleged “infidelity”.  I suppose the alleged infidelity could mean the baby was sired by a man other than Maegor but I think the charges were false.

Maegor was never able to impregnate Tyanna. It’s possible Maegor had the misfortune of marrying a second barren woman, but he could have been at fault.

Maegor’s marriages with his “Black Brides” only lasted for a year or so.

Jeyne Westerling gave birth to a stillborn who had both male and female genitalia. Once again, no “dragon baby” characteristics.

Elinor Costayne gave birth to a stillborn child with “rudimentary” wings so this was a Targaryen “dragon baby”.

Maegor was never able to impregnate Rhaena Targaryen and she had a pair of twins with her first husband.

What caused Maegor’s fertility problems? Was it the nature of his conception, rumored to be magical in origin? Or was it his double-Targaryen genetics? A combination of both? Aenys, Maegor’s brother, had multiple children but its important to note that Aenys’ father may have not been a Targaryen. (Always a good thing to deepen the gene pool).

Up next, the downfall of Maegor the Cruel.

[horizon-verizon]

TWOIAF says that Rhaenyra gave birth to Daeron “In the last days of 120 AC” so 31st of december. would take make him a “bastard”? were daemon and rhaenyra already married in march of that year?

I wrote about Aegon III's birth (who I think you meant) and the timeline HERE. And the following was the calendar-"chart" I made for people to track the critical events around Aegon's birth:

A)

B) [in lieu of the tumblr user lady corrine's note]

Rhaenyra died on the 22 day of the 10th month of 130 A.C (pretend this is "October 10, 130 C.E.").

Her son, Aegon the Younger, was 10 years old at the time of her death ("Rhaenyra Overthrown"):

Which means he should have been likely born, in October/the 10th month of 120 A.C./C.E.

Either way, they married way too early and earlier than the customary amount of time after they lost BOTH their lovers and spouses. Whether we're talking about Harwin, Laenor, or Laena; it's ALL of them.

Answer to the question:

Anon, you are wonderful! Before, I forgot abt AWoIaF, but your input has made dating Rhaenyra and Daemon's "affair"-to-conception-of-Aegon III easier. As in my chart-calendar above, all I had were approximations because in F&B they do not actually give exact month/day dates for anything but Laena's death. Aegon could have been born anywhere in the last 2-3 according to F&B, but now we know that yes he'd be born around whatever counts as "December" in Westeros. F& B says: "And thus that dreadful year 120 AC ended as it begun, with a woman laboring in childbirth." which I took as it being a "late November" to "late December". But AWoIaF's "the last days of 120 AC" is much clearer. Or maybe this was the case of a different translation of word senses between me and others?

So again, update!!!:

Aegon was born in the very last few days of 120 A.C., so "December". ("In the last days of 120 AC, she even delivered to him his first son, whom she named Aegon")

Laena dies in the first few days of 120 A.C. ("January")

A healthy, safe pregnancy takes 8-9 months of gestation. Aegon came with no complications or worry--so far that is told in either book.

9 months from "December" is "March"; 8 months is "April".

Daemyra married 4-6 months after both their lovers/spouses died. ("Neither Daemon’s wife nor Rhaenyra’s husband had been dead even half a year [6 months]; to wed again so soon was an insult to their memories, His Grace declared angrily."). It's still approximate.

Laenor must have died **EDIT, after looking in comments -- at most** 4-6 months after Laena.

So Daemyra had to have started sleeping with each other at most 3 months after Laena died or at least 2 months after she died--if not immediately after (perhaps they were even sleeping w/each other while she was alive and that comes with a host of theories of how that would have looked)--and Harwin nor Laenor were dead yet.

THIS IS YOUR ANSWER, ANON. They would HAVE to have been married in the 4th or 5th or 6th months ("April", "May", "June"). They were NOT married in "March"--the use of TWoIaF lets me know the tea!

However...

There is both the difference b/t a conception versus a birth. Births are when children are pushed out the womb and become what we know as the "infant", who will grow into an adult, yada yada. Conception is when we got a fertilized egg/zygote about to develop into a fetus.

Pre-modern medicine knew little to nothing about zygotes nor how to detect them. They have known for millennia, though, that at some point a child begins to grow from the "hidden" womb/woman's body and it is that pregnancy is a vulnerable time for both mother and fetus/child, a delicate process. Medievalesque people like those living in Planetos without the tools or knowledge to detect embryos cannot prove who the father of a child already born is when that question comes up, they are going to be even less able to detect who their dad is before they are born. This is why they place so much importance on girls but especially noble girls and women staying "pure" or "chaste" so they can feel assured and feel that whatever child they carry and birth to will be their husband's, who has a two-fold stake in. It's not a positive test, but a negative one: it's not about detection so much as about removing/whittling down the possible sperm donors to no one but the husband.

This means that any and all fetuses conceived before their parents marry--and if their parents do get married before well before the woman becomes that noticeable or anyone important sees her the birth--will largely be NOT be counted as bastards.

This is another way bastardry reveals itself as nonreal. As a "natural" concept of identity. As a construction based on the happenstance of human behavior, decision, and manipulation, rather than nature.

Of course, the Westerosi would believe that an embryo (if they knew what that was or could trace the moment of conception way before the mom started to show) of an unmarried union would be a bastard. But let's ask ourselves how many people might have sex before marriage, conceive, and then decide to marry bc: one of them wishes to preserve their reputation (usually the woman); they wish to reap whatever benefits come from such a marriage; and/or because they do not want to bring a more apparent "bastard" into the world for them to suffer. I mean, how many peasant births would follow such a pattern versus the opposite? And for bastardry to be a true, natural thing of itself, we absolutely need to count peasant sex-marriage-birth-conception patterns, too, not just the nobles, bc "naturalness" explicitly & implicitly signifies "outside of large-human control", or something that occurs without human direction, intervention, manipulation AND nonetheless affecting them simultaneously. Like how plants using chloroform in their method of producing energy, that level of "naturalness".

Marriage then works as a tool to prevent both of these things. Whether or not the people loved each other. In real life, the Church wanted and proliferated the idea that people should marry through the idea of uno caro, or "one heart", where worshippers/those of the Catholic community (which is all worshippers) join themselves to each other in marriages to essentially give respect to God. Thus marriage is characterized as a sacred institution. And it was believed that sex was not only existed for reproduction alone, the accompanying pleasure was indicative of sex's "wrongness". Bc as one of God's worshippers you're not supposed to focus so much on bodily, earthly, carnal things or think them so "good" that it "distracts" you from God and "high", spiritual matters. Or prostrating yourself to God's will.

Therefore, anon, it really doesn't matter whether Aegon was conceived before or after the wedding ceremony. Since he's birthed after they marry & no one in-world found out about Daemyra's sexual pre-marital activities nor has publicized it, it doesn't matter (concerning "bastardry")! It doesn't matter at all if he was or isn't a "true" bastard when such a thing doesn't exist as natural.

[magickkate]

Hey, lovely witchlings! As the sun reaches its zenith and the earth is in full bloom, we come to Litha, the summer solstice, a time of abundance, vitality, and celebration. This Sabbat marks the longest day of the year and the peak of solar energy, when the sun's power is at its strongest.

A Briefing on the History: Litha, also known as Midsummer or the Summer Solstice (Northern hemisphere: June 20th or 21st; Southern hemisphere: December 20th or 21st), is a magical time when the sun reaches its zenith in the sky. It’s the longest day of the year, and the sun seems to pause, bathing the earth in its warm glow. Our ancestors celebrated this pivotal moment with fire and water, acknowledging the balance between light and darkness. Stone circles like Stonehenge were oriented to capture the rising sun on this sacred day. Early European traditions included lighting large wheels on fire and rolling them down hills into bodies of water. The Romans honored this time as sacred to Juno, goddess of women and childbirth, giving us the month of June.

History:

Ancient Roots: Litha has ancient origins and has been celebrated by various cultures and civilizations throughout history. It is often associated with sun worship and the celebration of light, fertility, and abundance.

Solar Phenomenon: Litha occurs around June 20th or 21st in the Northern Hemisphere when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky, resulting in the longest day and the shortest night of the year.

Symbolism: The Summer Solstice symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, as well as the peak of growth and vitality in the natural world. It is a time of celebration, joy, and abundance.

Correspondences: -> Symbolism: Life, fire, rebirth, transformation, power, purity -> Colors: Red, gold, orange, yellow, white, green, blue -> Herbs: St. John’s Wort, lavender, rose, peony, vervain, chamomile, chickweed, chicory, sunflower, lily, thyme, and more -> Crystals: Lapis, diamond, tiger’s eye, emerald, jade, and other green stones -> Animals: Butterflies, wren, horses, stags, robins, cattle, phoenixes, dragons, faeries, satyrs

Here are a few ways to honor the magic of Litha:

Rituals and Activities: - Bonfires: Light a bonfire to honor the sun’s power. - Sunrise/Sunset Greeting: Greet the sun at its highest point in the sky. - Create an Altar: Decorate it with sunflowers, oranges, and yellow candles. - Cleansing Herb Bundle: Make your own bundle for purification. - Sun Tea: Brew tea using sun-infused water. - Burn a Bay Leaf: Write intentions on a bay leaf and burn it - Fertility Ritual: Litha is a time of fertility and growth, and rituals may focus on promoting abundance, creativity, and prosperity. Some practitioners may plant seeds or perform fertility rites to symbolize the fertile energy of the Earth.

Modern Celebrations:

-> Community Gatherings: Many Wiccan and pagan communities host public rituals and gatherings to celebrate Litha, inviting people of all backgrounds to join in the festivities and honor the sun's energy. -> Altar Decorations: Altars are adorned with symbols of the sun, such as gold or yellow candles, sunflowers, citrus fruits, and solar symbols like the sun wheel or the Celtic solar cross. -> Feasting: Traditional foods associated with Litha include fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, bread, dairy products, and grilled meats. These foods celebrate the abundance of the summer harvest and nourish the body and spirit. -> Nature Walks: Taking a nature walk or spending time outdoors is a simple yet meaningful way to connect with the energy of Litha and appreciate the beauty of the natural world during the height of summer.

Recipes: 1. Mead: A honey wine enjoyed by our Celtic and Norse ancestors and many to this day. It is easier to support local experts in the craft of making this than starting up a whole kit of making mead. Choose wisely. (I included a basic starter recipe for those brave enough to venture into the fermentation game. I'll stick to supporting my local businesses!) 2. Sun Tea: If you are unable to drink alcohol or prefer not to, sun tea is a great alternative or a great addition to your Litha celebration! They are called "sun tea" because it is tea brewed from the warmth of direct sunlight! If the weather is cloudy, sun tea may not be the best recipe to try. Common sense <3! 5. Sunflower Seed Pesto Pasta: Cook pasta (such as penne or fusilli) according to package instructions. In a food processor, combine fresh basil leaves, garlic cloves, sunflower seeds, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Toss the cooked pasta with the sunflower seed pesto, cherry tomatoes, and sliced summer squash or zucchini. Serve topped with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves. 6. Summer Solstice Salad: Mix a variety of fresh greens, such as spinach, arugula, and butter lettuce. Add sliced strawberries, blueberries, and orange segments for a burst of color and sweetness. Sprinkle with toasted almonds or walnuts and crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese. Drizzle with a dressing made from olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper. 6. Grilled Vegetable Platter: Slice a selection of summer vegetables, such as bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and red onions. Brush the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and your choice of herbs (such as rosemary or thyme). Grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred, then arrange them on a platter. Serve with a dipping sauce made from Greek yogurt, lemon zest, garlic, and fresh herbs. 7. Honey-Lavender Lemonade: In a saucepan, combine water, honey, and dried lavender buds. Heat gently until the honey is dissolved, then remove from heat and let the mixture steep for 15-20 minutes. Strain the lavender-infused honey mixture into a pitcher and discard the lavender buds. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice to the pitcher and stir to combine. Serve the honey-lavender lemonade over ice, garnished with fresh lavender sprigs and lemon slices. 8. Berry Galette: Prepare a simple pie dough or use store-bought dough for the crust. Roll out the dough and transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix fresh berries (such as strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries) with sugar, cornstarch, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Spoon the berry mixture onto the center of the dough, leaving a border around the edges. Fold the edges of the dough over the berries, pleating as needed. Brush the edges of the dough with milk or beaten egg, then sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake the galette in a preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the berries are bubbling. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Remember, Litha is a celebration of the sun’s abundance and the Earth’s fertility. Embrace the warmth, dance, and honor the cycles of life. Blessed be! 🌻🔥🌿

Note: This post is a brief overview. For more details, explore the rich traditions and make Litha your own! 🌞🌙