#World War II toys

[newyorkthegoldenage]

Surrounded by tanks and soldiers, four-year-old Salvator Beniti takes a sight on this mighty weapon at the opening of the 40th annual American Toy Fair at the Hotel McAlpin, March 9, 1942. Toyland in 1942 style is geared to the war, producing miniature battleships, airplanes and submarines with a minimum of defense materials.

Photo: Charles Kenneth Lucas for the AP via TNL News Lens

[coaz-photography]

The Devil's Brigade

[foreverknightalways]

Flashback: London, England, 1941 during World War II

Nicholas returns home and is greeted with a kiss by Janette. Nicholas asks, Where's LaCroix? Janette walks away from Nicholas as the toy fire truck comes rolling to Nicholas' feet. Nicholas picks up the toy and walks toward the fireplace to put it away and says, Toys at your age, LaCroix.

[jimclassicstoycollection]

Transformers

Studio Series 50

The Last Knight

Hotrod (WWII)

by Hasbro (2019)

I picked up WWII Hotrod on 08-16-21 at my local Ollies. They had a bunch of figures wasting away there, but this was the only one I really cared about. 

This version of Hotrod was seen in 2017s ‘The Last Knight’ during a brief flashback scene.

WWII Hotrod comes with only himself and a grenade launcher.

Vehicle Mode:

I’m not going to bury the lead here. Hotrod’s vehicle mode is Nazi. For context in the ‘The Last Knight’ movie Hotrod and Bumblebee are in disguise during WWII and they’re about to attack a Nazi stronghold. Understandably Hasbro left out the markings.

The vehicle is an armored car of sorts which is mostly forest green, with some darker shades of green, some silver highlights, and some black.

All-in-all a pretty dull color pallet, but that’s WWII for you...

The primary weapon can be stored on either the 5mm port on the roof, or in the passenger side opening.

The vehicle mode rolls pretty well, it’s got some good sized wheels, however my complaint is that some panels of the vehicle mode don’t attach well, and some areas kept popping off and I had to tab them back in; it was a frustrating process at time.

Transformation:

Transforming Hotrod in to robot mode isn’t too difficult, aside from fighting with the afore mentioned panels.

Robot Mode:

As far as robot mode is concerned you get…an okay robot mode. This toy didn’t blow my mind or anything. You’re still getting mostly army green colors and some red/orange paint apps on the arms and face. It’s pretty underwhelming in my honest opinion.

The robot mode itself has a lot of neat greebly details, he stands well, and that head sculpt is very…Bayformers…It’s well detailed, but of course it looks nothing like the source material.

He does have a noticeable backpack, and it sort of gets in the way of posing.

Hotrod’s weapon is the grenade launcher. He holds it well and it’s well sculpt. And that’s really all I got to say about this toy. Overall I was pretty underwhelmed by this version of Hotrod, and I’m happy that I got him at a reduced price.

[blondephil]

hello (one of the) resident phannie data analyst(s) here with some parasocial stats on dnp’s movie tastes! following: distribution of dan and phil's ratings overall, movies they each rated 5 stars, their lowest-rated movies, and the similarities + differences in their tastes

(lore moment: yes i am a data analyst in my real job. yes i surprised myself with wanting to do this in my spare time. but then i remembered when we read dracula in college (yes i was an english major) and i graphed like, how many times dracula was referred to as vampire versus monster or something. so i shouldn’t be surprised.

first up, their overall rating patterns and by ~special status~ (i.e., wall-e, kill bill, avatar, lmao, plus big hero 6 for the fun of it)

dan’s rated 304 movies and phil’s rated 305. both of them have mean and median ratings of 4 with min 1 and max 5.

both rated kill bill vols. 1 and 2 a 5. wall-e got a 4.5 from dan and a 4 from phil (phake phans). both gave avatar a 3.5. and big hero 6 3.5 (dan) and 4.5 (phil)

rating distribution:

i did analyses here by genre but i need to fix the output (i’m writing all of these based on the markdown document from my phone on the subway, but i need to fix the outputs and i don’t have my computer. so those are pending but there are other genre analyses that i could do & haven’t yet!)

while i was sorting through the data i got the impression that dan overall rated movies higher than phil. so, among movies that they've both rated, here's some information

number of movies dan rated higher than phil: 65

Empire Strikes Back, Blade Runner, Return of the Jedi, My Neighbor Totoro, Back to the Future II, Nightmare Before Christmas, Toy Story, Phantom Mence, Donnie Darko, Attack of the Clones, Finding Nemo, Oldboy, The Notebook, Batman Begins, Brokeback Mountain, WALL-E, (500) Days of Summer, Up, The Hangover, Drive, The Cabin in the Woods, The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, Life of Pi, Skyfall, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Whiplash, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Room, The Hateful Eight, The Force Awakens, Manchester by the Sea, Deadpool, La La Land, Moonlight, Rogue One, Call Me By Your Name, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2., Wonder Woman, Spider-Man: Homecoming, I, Tonya, Thor: Ragnorak, Phantom Thread, Roma, The Favourite, The Lighthouse, Toy Story 4, Midsommar, Ad Astra, Knives Out, Soul, The Green Knight, No Time to Die, Don't Look Up, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Turning Red, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, The Banshees of Inisherin, The Fabelmans, Glass Onion, Beau is Afraid, Barbie, Oppenheimer, Poor Things

number of movies phil rated higher than dan: 55

Star Wars (New Hope), Blair Witch Project, Requiem for a Dream, Memento, Ocean's Eleven, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Moonrise Kingdom, Iron Man 3, Gravity, Prisoners, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Imitation Game, Nightcrawler, John Wick, Gone Girl, Big Hero 6, Jurassic World, The Martian, The Revenant, Nocturnal Animals, Split, Get Out, Baby Driver, The Disaster Artist, Dunkirk, The Shape of Water, The Greatest Showman, The Last Jedi, Ready Player One, Crazy Rich Asians, A Star is Born, Rocketman, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Joker, The Rise of Skywalker, The Invisible Man, A Quiet Place Part II, Greenland, Tenet, Malignant, Eternals, The Matrix Resurrections, Scream (2022), Nope, Prey, Talk to Me, Avatar: The Way of the Water, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

number of movies they rated the same: 99!

Alien, ET, Gremlins, Back to the Future, Top Gun, Aliens, Home Alone, Silence of the Lambs, Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction, The Lion King, Se7en, Scream, The Fifth Element, Titanic, The Truman Show, The Matrix, Magnolia, Spirited Away, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Spider-Man, Lost in Translation, Kill Bill, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Kill Bill Vol. 2, Mean Girls, Howl's Moving Castle, Children of Men, The Dark Knight, Pontypool, Inglourious Basterds, Avatar, Toy Story 3, Inception, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Black Swan, The Social Network, 21 Jump Street, The Hunger Games, Silver Linings Playbook, The Conjuring, Snowpiercer, Her, Thor: The Dark World, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Boyhood, It Follows, Guardians of the Galaxy, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Interstellar, Ex Machina, The Witch, Avengers: The Age of Ultron, Mad Max: Fury Road, Inside Out, Ant-Man, Captain America: Civil War, Your Name., Arrival, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, mother!, It, Blade Runner 2049, Hereditary, Black Panther, Annihilation, A Quiet Place, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain Marvel, Us, Avengers: Endgame, Parasite, It Chapter Two, Marriage Story, Uncut Gems, 1917, Black Widow, The Suicide Squad, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Dune, Last Night in Soho, The Batman (2022), Everything Everywhere All at Once, X, The Northman, Top Gun: Maverick, Bullet Train, Barbarian, Pearl, M3GAN, Dungeons and Dragongs: Honor Among Thieves, Evil Dead Rise, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3., No Hard Feelings, Saltburn, Priscilla, Society of the Snow, Saw X, Leave the World Behind

i didn't analyse this by genre or anything, but i could -- so if you're interested lmk!

the 5 movies with the most different ratings between dan and phil

- Iron Man 2 (dan: 2, phil 3.5)

- The Greatest Showman (d: 2.5, p: 4)

- Malignant (d: 3, p: 4.5)

- Scream (2022) (d: 2.5, p: 4)

- Beau is Afraid (d: 3, p: 1.5)

Interesting that even though dan has more higher rated movies, 4/5 of these ones phil rated higher.

next, their 5-star movies

dan's five stars: 80

Alien, Empire Strikes Back, ET, Blade Runner, Gremlins, Back to the Future, Top Gun, Aliens, Stand by Me, The Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro, Back to the Future II, Home Alone, Silence of the Lambs, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Jurassic Park, Nightmare Before Christmas, Schindler's List, Pulp Fiction, The Lion King, Toy Story, Fargo, Scream, The Fifth Element, Hercules, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Titanic, The Truman Show, The Matrix, Fight Club, Magnolia, The Emperor's New Groove, Donnie Darko, Moulin Rouge, Shrek, Spirited Away, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Finding Nemo, Kill Bill, Oldboy, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Shaun of the Dead, Kill Bill Vol. 2, Howl's Moving Castle, Revenge of the Sith, Brokeback Mountain, No Country for Old Men, The Dark Knight, Inception, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, The Tree of Life, 21 Jump Street, The Avengers, Life of Pi, Skyfall, Under the Skin, Whiplash, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Interstellar, Mad Max: Fury Road, Sicario, The Hateful Eight, La La Land, Arrival, mother!, Blade Runner 2049, Avengers: Infinity War, First Man, The Favourite, The Lighthouse, Parasite, Midsommar, Uncut Gems, 1917, Dune, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Top Gun: Maverick, Oppenheimer, Poor Things

phil's five stars:

Star Wars (New Hope), Alien, ET, Gremlins, Back to the Future, Top Gun, Aliens, Home Alone, Silence of the Lambs, Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction, The Lion King, Scream, The Fifth Element, Titanic, The Truman Show, The Matrix, Magnolia, Requiem for a Dream, Memento, Spirited Away, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Kill Bill, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Kill Bill Vol. 2, Howl's Moving Castle, The Dark Knight, Inception, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, 21 Jump Street, Interstellar, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant, Arrival, Dunkirk, mother!, Blade Runner 2049, Avengers: Infinity War, Parasite, Uncut Gems, 1917, Dune, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Top Gun: Maverick, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Shawshank Redemption, Gladiator, Little Miss Sunshine

overlap: 39

Alien, ET, Gremlins, Back to the Future, Top Gun, Aliens, Home Alone, Silence of the Lambs, Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction, The Lion King, Scream, The Fifth Element, Titanic, The Truman Show, The Matrix, Magnolia, Spirited Away, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Kill Bill, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Kill Bill Vol. 2, Howl's Moving Castle, The Dark Knight, Inception, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, 21 Jump Street, Interstellar, Mad Max: Fury Road, Arrival, mother!, Blade Runner 2049, Avengers: Infinity War, Parasite, Uncut Gems, 1917, Dune, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Top Gun: Maverick

& their lowest rated movies...

dan: matrix resurrections (1) , thor: the dark world (1.5), the rise of skywalker (1.5)

phil: crimes of the future (1), attack of the clones (1.5), thor: the dark world (1.5), don’t look up (1.5), the matrix resurrections (1.5), doctor strange in the multiverse of madness (1.5), beau is afraid (1.5), black bear (1.5)

not even chris hemsworth could save thor the dark world, i guess (kat dennings, though…)

movies they logged on the same date:

note that this is like, non-exhaustive, because this is only based on their diaries that list the date. i think in reality they've watched most of these movies together. frequently dan logged a couple days after phil which aren’t shown here. procrastination queen

Pontypool, Eternals, The Northman, Nope, Barbarian, The Banshees of Inisherin, Glass Onion, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Beau is Afraid, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3., Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, Saltburn, Poor Things, Priscilla, Saw X, Leave the World Behind

movies that one logged and not the other:

dan but not phil: 85

The Exorcist, Stand by Me, The Grave of the Fireflies, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Home Alone 2, Schindler's List, Fargo, Romeo & Juliet, Hercules, Men in Black, Neon Genesis Evangelion, The Mummy, The 13th Warrior, Fight Club, The Emperor's New Groove, Moulin Rouge, Shrek, Legally Blonde, Monsters, Inc, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Scooby-Doo, 28 Days Later, Matrix Reloaded, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, School of Rock, Matrix Revolutions, Saw, Shaun of the Dead, Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Revenge of the Sith, The Devil Wears Prada, Borat, Casino Royale, No Country for Old Men, Death Proof, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, There Will Be Blood, Tropic Thunder, Slumdog Millionaire, Moon, District 9, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The King's Speech, We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Tree of Life, X-Men: First Class, Prometheus, Argo, Les Miserables, Django Unchained, World War Z, Pacific Rim, Under the Skin, 12 Years a Slave, American Hustle, The Babadook, The Lego Movie, x-Men: Days of Future Past, 22 Jump Street, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Theory of Everything, Green Room, Sicario, Spotlight, The Big Short, 10 Cloverfield Lane, The Conjuring 2, Train to Busan, Hacksaw Ridge, Doctor Strange, Hidden Figures, Logan, You Were Never Really Here, Game Night, Isle of Dogs, First Man, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Suspiria, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Glass, Hustlers, Pig, Violent Night

phil but not dan: 86

Jaws, The Terminator, Beetlejuice, Die Hard, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Groundhog Day, The Shawshank Redemption, Leon: The Professional, The Usual Suspects, The Frighteners, The Sixth Sense, Being John Malkovich, American Beauty, The Green Mile, Gladiator, Catch Me if You Can, Elf, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Little Miss Sunshine, Pan's Labyrinth, The Prestige, Zodiac, Spider-Man 3, Iron Man, Juno, Lake Mungo, Twilight, Zombieland, Kick-Ass, Brave, Evil Dead, The Great Gatsby, Now You See Me, Monsters University, Man of Steel, About Time, Dallas Buyers Club, Edge of Tomorrow, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, The Boy, Raw, Finding Dory, Suicide Squad, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, John Wick: Chapter 2, Lady Bird, The Ritual, Happy Death Day, Deadpool 2, Ocean's 8, Ant-Man and The Wasp, Bird Box, Booksmart, Crawl, Spider-Man: Far From Home, The Platform, Black Bear, Palm Springs, The Empty Man, The Innocents, Titane, Old, Free Guy, The Black Phone, Fresh, Watcher, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Ambulance, Aftersun, Crimes of the Future, Fall, Bones and All, The Menu, Sanctuary, Do Revenge, Smile, Hellraiser (2022), Mr. Harrigan's Phone, Plane, Missing, Infinity Pool, Past Lives, Knock at the Cabin, Scream VI

i’m interested to see how this varies by genre!

miscellaneous non-statistical things that made me parasocially emotional and/or laugh during this process:

they watched nope together on christmas eve 2022 <3

dan rated moulin rouge a 5 <3 nature boy <3

he also rated shrek a 5. of course. (valid).

4.5 from dan and 4 from phil from the notebook

5 from danny for brokeback mountain <3 and a 4.5 from philly

cmbyn, yes, has its issues, but dan rated 4.5 and phil 4

the shape of water got a 4.5 from monsterfucker phil lester (dan gave it a 4)

surprisingly phil rated rocketman higher than dan! surprising because dan liked so many musicals

dan gave hustlers a 3.5. i don't know why i think this is funny, but i do. phil doesn't have it logged or rated, lmao.

a 4 (d) and a 3.5 (p) for barbie!

phil gave twilight a 3. lol.

phil also gave do revenge only a 3.5. tragique.

phil watched a LOT of horror alone in october 2022 (aka while dan was on tour). anyway he's just like me <3

[baelarys]

๛𝐌𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞

Aegon ii targaryen x Reader tully x Aemond targaryen

word count : 1750

Warning :Infidelity,anguts, bad words

Note:This was a Request but I accidentally lost the comment I hope you see it,I did my best, I hope this is what you wanted or close to it,I don't do smut, I'm sorry, but I hope you still like it.

I never believed that what started as a simple rumor would spread so quickly. I never imagined that a few exchanged words would lead you and Aegon to something more than just flirting in the corridors.

It was just a couple of nights, furtive meetings behind your husband, Prince Aemond's back. No one was supposed to suspect, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case. When you gave birth to your second son, Aenys, you hoped that inheriting Valyrian features like his father would dispel any suspicions, but the resemblance to Aegon was undeniable.

Your older son was undoubtedly a miniature version of Aemond—same gaze, straight hair, and a fine, small face. But Aenys had rounder features and wavy hair. Thankfully, those rumors never became an impediment for Aemond. He loved his children and was always there for them, whether to play or to tell them stories.

You held the little baby in your arms while Baelor played with small wooden toys on the floor. Suddenly, a shout of excitement echoed in the room.

"Kepa!" Baelor exclaimed upon seeing his father enter through the door.

"Rūklon zaldrīzes" Aemond said, lifting the little one in his arms with a smile.

"Husband" you greeted as Aemond approached to plant a kiss on your cheek.

Since Aegon's coronation as the new king, Aemond was constantly away. With a war on the horizon, securing the support of all the houses was crucial, and Aemond took on that task diligently.

Aemond sat on the floor next to Baelor, who proudly showed him his wooden toys.

"Look, Kepa, I made a dragon" Baelor said, holding up a roughly carved figure.

Aemond smiled and took the toy in his hands. "It's a very fierce dragon, Baelor. What's its name?"

"Vhagar! " Baelor exclaimed enthusiastically.

You chuckled softly from your seat, watching the interaction with tenderness. Aemond placed the baby on the floor, allowing him to crawl towards his older brother.

"Rūklon zaldrīzes" Aemond murmured as he watched the little one explore the world around him.

Baelor started playing with his brother, carefully showing him his toys and making sure the baby didn't get hurt. Aemond, relaxed for the first time in weeks, joined his sons in play, creating a tower of wooden blocks and helping Baelor knock it down with a hearty laugh.

You decided to join in the game. "How about we read a story?" you suggested.

Baelor jumped with excitement. "Yes, yes! A story!"

"Good idea." Aemond nodded, smiling.

You got up and fetched a storybook from the shelf. You found one of Baelor's favorites, filled with tales of dragons and knights. Sitting on the floor with the baby in your lap, Baelor snuggled up beside you, and Aemond sat nearby, forming a family circle.

You opened the book and began to read, using different voices for each character. The baby listened attentively, his big curious eyes following every movement. Baelor was absorbed in the story, his eyes shining with excitement as he followed the adventure.

As the story progressed, the room filled with warmth and tranquility. It was a moment of peace and unity, away from the worries of the outside world.

When you finished the tale, you closed the book gently and looked at your family. Baelor yawned, clearly ready for bed, while the baby was already half asleep in your arms.

"I think it's time for bed" you said with a smile.

Aemond nodded, getting up to take Baelor to his bed. He followed you with the baby in his arms, making sure both children were comfortable and tucked in.

When Aemond approached Aenys's crib, you noticed how he scrutinized the baby. Before you could say anything, Aemond apologized and said he needed to discuss some matters with Ser Criston. That eased your mind a bit; at least you wouldn't have to confront Aemond at the moment.

You could hear the sound of guards hurriedly walking through the halls, but you decided not to pay much attention. Suddenly, your door swung open and two guards entered urgently, quickly scanning the room.

"What's happening?" you asked with concern.

"Prince Jaehaerys is dead" one of the guards responded, bowing his head "The king demands your presence."

Shock and grief instantly washed over you, but there was no time to process. You quickly made your way to Aegon's chambers. The castle was eerily silent, a reflection of the tragedy that had just struck the royal family. Upon opening the doors, you saw Aegon sitting in one of the armchairs in his room, his expression lost and his body weighed down by sadness.

Your heart broke seeing your brother-in-law like this. You approached him cautiously, trying not to startle him.

"Aegon" you called softly.

Aegon looked up, his eyes red and filled with tears. You knelt beside him, taking one of his hands in yours.

"I'm here, Aegon" you said gently and reassuringly.

Without saying a word, you embraced him tenderly, allowing him to cry on your shoulder. You felt the weight of his grief, and a deep sadness washed over you for the loss of your nephew. You stayed strong, holding him as he let out his anguish.

"I'm so sorry, Aegon" you whispered, softly stroking his back "There are no words for this pain, but I'm here with you."

Aegon nodded weakly, clinging to you like an anchor in the midst of a storm. "Why... why him?" he asked between sobs.

"I don't know" you answered honestly "Life can be terribly unfair. But we'll always remember him, and his memory will live on in our hearts."

Suddenly, he pulled away slightly, his eyes darkened by growing rage. "This wasn't an accident" he said in a low voice, but filled with hatred "It was Rhaenyra. I'm sure of it. That witch has always wanted to destroy me. She's taken my son's life to hurt me, to weaken us!"

You fell silent, feeling the intensity of his fury. It was a pain mixed with hatred, a dangerous combination that could consume him.

"I don't need proof!" he shouted, rising abruptly from the chair "It was her. She's always coveted the throne, and now she's willing to kill her own blood to get it. She'll pay for this! I swear she'll pay!"

You stood up and embraced him again, trying to calm him down. "I understand your pain and your anger, Aegon. But we must be careful. Blind vengeance will only bring more suffering."

Aegon breathed heavily, his body trembling with anger. Slowly, his breathing calmed a little, but the spark of hatred in his eyes still burned.

"I won't let her get away with this, Y/N. Not after this" he murmured, his voice a dangerous whisper.

–––––––––––

It had only been a couple of days since Prince Jaehaerys's death, and the atmosphere in the castle had become tense and somber. The loss of an heir had left a void that couldn't be ignored, and both Otto and Alicent were starting to worry about the lack of a clear successor for Aegon.

In a private meeting in the council chamber, Aegon, visibly affected by grief and anger, made an abrupt decision.

"I have decided that Aenys will be my heir" Aegon announced, his voice firm but laden with emotion.

Otto and Alicent exchanged concerned looks. Otto was the first to speak.

"Your Majesty, I understand your pain and the need to secure succession, but we must consider all options. Baelor is the elder of your nephews, and it would be fairer to name him as heir."

Alicent nodded, supporting her father's words. "Baelor is a good boy. Besides, it would be more appropriate to follow the natural line of succession."

Aegon clenched his fists, his expression hardening. "No. Aenys will be the heir. It's my decision."

The tension in the room increased, every glance filled with distrust and concern. Finally, Otto sighed and nodded, knowing that pushing further would only make things worse.

After the meeting, you found yourself alone with Aemond in one of the castle's corridors. His expression was serious, his eyes searching yours with intensity.

"We need to talk" Aemond said, his voice tense but controlled.

"I've tried to ignore them, but I can't anymore" Aemond said with tension "Is Aenys my son?"

"Of course he is" you began to respond, but Aemond interrupted you, his voice filled with emotion.

"I want you to be honest!" he exclaimed, his eyes desperately seeking the truth in yours.

You took a deep breath, trying to calm yourself and find the right words. "Aemond, I understand your doubts, but I assure you that Aenys is your son. The rumors are just that rumors. They're designed to divide us and sow mistrust."

"Sure? Because apparently people don't think so" Aemond said, cornering you against the wall, his anger vibrating in his voice "I'll ask once more: Is Aenys my son?"

You felt a lump in your throat, fear and anguish mixing inside you. You tried to defend yourself, but the words were stuck, unable to come out. You couldn't lie to him.

"Aemond, please…"you murmured, your voice barely audible, struggling against the weight of his gaze. You know I love you.

"That doesn't answer my question, Y/N" he replied, his eyes cold and filled with distrust. I want the truth.

You took a deep breath, trying to find the strength to face him. Tears began to fill your eyes.

You shook your head as you wiped away the tears that slid down your cheek.

"Aemond, please let me explain" you said, your voice shaking as you tried to contain the emotions that were overwhelming you "It was a mistake, a terrible mistake that I regret every day. But Aenys is our son in every way that matters."

Aemond looked at you with a mix of pain and fury, his breathing heavy and his eyes burning with an intensity you hadn't seen before.

"How could you?" he asked, his voice low and full of bitterness. How could you betray me like this?

"It wasn't intentional, Aemond" you murmured, tears flowing again. " It was a moment of weakness, an impulsive decision that I cannot undo. But I love you, I have always loved you."

Aemond walked away from you upset, you could hear the sound of his footsteps walking away, you felt terrible as a wave of anger and regret washed over you, you tried to silence your sobbing as best you could as you wiped away your tears and returned to your room.

[endless-ineffabilities]

and what of your love?

Aemond Targaryen x f!Reader (nsfw / 18+)

part two of the prūmia va perzys (heart on fire) series

part one: 'don't you love me?' , part three: the flames that divide , part four: the aftermath

themes: angst (obvi), smut, mention of violence/death, language, dragonrider!reader (her house is not stated)

word count: 4.6k ▪︎ masterlist

Aemond Targaryen is to be married, but his heart is not in it. In fact, he feels as if he hasn't had a heart ever since you left.

The message sits on your desk, the words all too vivid and clear, as if mocking you.

"You are cordially requested to bear witness to the union of Prince Aemond Targaryen and his future consort, Lady Alys Rivers..."

You had rushed through the words, in utter disbelief, your heart breaking all the while. Towards the end, it also stated, “His Royal Highness, King Aegon II, wishes to extend a truce, only to the Lady y/n, for the entire duration of the royal festivities, at the behest of Prince Aemond."

Oh please.

It has been over a year since you last saw him in your field, and ever since that night, you've tried your hardest to erase him from your heart. When he played a hand in the death of Lucerys, you were sure that would be the nail in the coffin of whatever love you may have had for him. Sweet, brave Luke who grew to become a brother to you. He was too young. The pain was crippling, the rage it unravelled was immeasurable.

You tell yourself, every day, every hour, that Aemond is lost. The man you once loved, the Prince who relentlessly pursued you, the lover who promised you the world - was no more.

But even you can't fool yourself.

Every time word reaches you of his latest crime, you don't feel hate. You want to only be angry, you should be. But you just can't.

He will always be your Aemond. You may condemn his actions, but you could never cut yourself free of him. He will always have a part of you, which is why you haven't taken any other lover.

But, apparently, he has.

The Lady Alys Rivers was rumoured to be beautiful, and enchanting. The perfect match for the equally alluring young prince.

Oh, seven hells. This must be a joke. Surely, he doesn't think I would actually deign to attend this union.

When you gave word to Daemon and Rhaenyra, they were sure that Aemond is merely toying with you. They knew all too well about your past affair, and seemed assured that this invitation was just a way for Aemond to get under your skin. To get you to lower your defenses.

There was no way you would cross over into enemy territory, given the heightened scale of the ongoing war.

Besides, why the fuck would you want to?

If he truly has forgotten me, if he has truly fallen for another, then I must move on. He no longer is my Aemond. He is hers.

Resolute, you take the parchment, the confirmation of what you have lost, and throw it into the hearth.

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

The revelry is in full swing, and the lords and ladies of the court are jovially partaking in the week-long festivities, customary before a grand wedding of a prince of the Seven Kingdoms. Albeit now there is an atmosphere of gloom. A sense of unease due to the war is felt by most, and tonight, ale and dancing and fucking are the thoughtless remedies.

The groom, Prince Aemond, sits stoically at the High Table. His inebriated King brother sits to his left, and his bride, Lady Alys, to his right.

She keeps one hand on him, as she does every time, as if she fears that he might run away.

He has half a mind to do just that, plotting as he sips his wine. You had not showed up. You had not even given any notice of having received the invitation.

Does she know I am to be married? Does she not care?

Aemond downs his cup of wine in one long swig, to which his brother cheers, and pats him on the back.

His soon-to-be wife, glances at him chastisingly, and says, "Slowly, my love, the feast has only just begun."

My love. Aemond whips his head to her in a flash, "I told you not to call me that. Call me whatever you wish, just not that."

Lady Alys flinches at his tone, "Careful with how you address me, Aemond. I am your wife."

Aemond takes another swig after his cup has been filled, "Not yet."

"It makes no difference. I will be, soon," his consort smiles, clearly satisfied with herself, "Dance with me, husband?"

"Hmm," he tries to remain polite, although it's taking much resolve, "you go ahead. I'll remain here for now."

She plants a heavy kiss on his cheek, giggling, and joins the dance, getting lost in the crowd.

Aemond muses about his consort, how provocative and sly she is. The reason why he chose her, after the incessant nagging from his mother Alicent that he should be married, is because she's just about the least likely prospect.

Alicent immediately wanted to marry him off to some other highborn lady, someone more proper. Not the bastard daughter of House Strong, but he disagreed. He had no personal desire to be married, anyway, and is merely performing his duty. Marrying for love was clearly out of the cards, since you...

You. Aemond takes another gulp of wine.

He chose Alys on a whim, but also because she was the most amusing out of his options. She is beautiful, brazen with her words, and didn't care much for pomp and nobility. And, well, she was the one who is the most similar to you. Although, she can never hold a candle to your hold on Aemond's heart.

Aemond didn't love her, no, but he is able to tolerate her at least. He once thought that, perhaps, if you had never been in the picture, maybe Alys might have been able to steal his heart instead.

But you are. And you had.

He wonders if you still feel longing, if you also possess that incessant emptiness in your chest. If you still... love...

Fuck. I need her. He takes another drink.

"Brother," Aegon claps him on the shoulder loudly, jeering, "I've never seen you swig ale that quickly. Don't worry about losing your bachelorhood. You're the fucking Prince! You can have any bedmate you want, and your wife can't say a single thing."

There is it again. Wife. Aemond begins to think it vile. A pang of pity also befalls him for his dear sister Helaena, that she should be saddled with an imbecile of a spouse such as Aegon.

Fortunately, in a twisted way, it may even be beneficial for Helaena that her husband sleeps around, so that she may constantly not be on the receiving end of his nightly drunken stupors.

He wonders, dread and jealousy enveloping him, if you had taken anyone to wed. If he is anything like Aegon is as a husband, then war be damned. He would take Vhagar, reach wherever you and that mongrel may be, and end him.

In truth, even if your chosen consort would be the kindest lord in all of the Seven Kingdoms, Aemond would still crush him. He would burn him to the ground.

Doesn’t she care the same? Why isn’t she here now, putting a halt to this farce of a marriage?

Perhaps, she doesn’t trust me. Of course, why would she? Given what I’ve done…

“I know why your face is so sour,” his drunken brother addresses him again, “It’s because of Lady y/n’s absence, is it not? Well, she may still be present at the actual wedding ceremony.”

“You reek of ale, brother. Drinking like a fucking Braavosi sea horse, as always.” Aemond snaps back, getting tense at the subject of you being brought up.

“Why must you be so into that bitch, Aemond?,” Aegon continues his tirade, “You have a lusty wife now, and you can have a thousand whores besides.”

In an instant, Aemond slams his fist on the table and gets off his seat, drawing everyone’s attention to him. Aegon, the King, shirks away from his brother, knowing it was unwise to get on his nerve. Despite jesting with him so often, he may have forgotten that he shouldn’t have mentioned you in that way.

The Kingsguard draw close, prepared to defend their king. Ser Criston Cole rushes over to Aemond, “Stand down, my prince. Not here.”

Aemond glares at his brother, and if looks could kill…

Until he mumbles that sinister, “Hmm.” He composes himself, and raises a hand up to the guards, and to the crowd, “Carry on.”

The feast reluctantly restarts at first, but moments after, the whole exchange was forgotten.

But Aemond can no longer just sit there. If you weren’t going to come to the feast, or to the wedding, then there may be another way to get you to him.

He stands, ignoring the questioning looks coming his way, and he stalks out of the great hall.

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

It has been a long evening, mostly spent in the Black Council, analysing the current trajectory of the war. Everyone was in agreement that the Greens have not made any significant measures due to the ongoing wedding festivities of one Prince Aemond.

Half of the council wanted to strike then, while they were occupied with all that pompous nonsense, while the other half favoured a temporary truce, at least until the nuptials have been finalized, for the sake of upholding and respecting Westerosi tradition.

Daemon, being Daemon, had only this to say, “Oh, who cares if my one-eyed nephew will be wed? All our eggs will be there, drowned in booze, in one basket. We should ride and just burn everything down.”

But that was the problem. Everyone would indeed be there. Even the lords and ladies, the maesters, the children, who were simply forced to side with the Greens, out of fear for their lives. Rhaenyra didn’t want any more unnecessary bloodshed, to which you agree.

You return to your chambers, exhausted, mostly due to the sore subject of Aemond’s wedding having been mentioned often. You were grateful to Rhaenyra, who was quick to change the matter of discussion, when she noticed you were growing uncomfortable.

Walking over to your table, you notice a plain black box, one that was not there when you left. You trace your fingers over it, feeling the smooth wooden exterior, and carefully lift the lid.

Your heart stops.

Gillyflower.

A cluster of fresh gillyflower lay inside, in a bright burst of red and violet. The flower that grew so wildly in that field. Yours and Aemond’s.

This used to be your tradition. If either of you wished to meet the other there, all you had to do was surreptitiously send some gillyflower. Like your own shared secret message.

Normally, there would be have been a bit of parchment, with sweet words imprinted.

My love.

My flower.

Come to me.

Each day without you is one I cannot bear.

Now, there was none. But you are sure, this can only be from Aemond.

Should I…? What if it’s a trap?

You mind races, heart beating wildly. You want nothing more than to take the risk, but what of your allegiance? Would you be betraying them? You should be concerned for your safety, but you also knew, he would never hurt you.

You need answers. You need revenge. You need Ae…

Oh, seven hells. Grabbing your sword, and putting on your cloak, you make your way out the door.

“Going somewhere?”, Daemon stands, leaning against the wall, as if expecting you to come out at any moment.

“Daemon,” you say, surprised. The cloak and the sheathed sword surely gave you away.

“It’s my nephew, isn’t it?”

“What-“

“I intercepted the messenger who brought over that box. I wondered about the contents, but then, who else could it be from?”

“Hmm,” you whisper, knowing it futile to hide anything from Daemon, “he wishes to meet me. I know not what for.”

“And you’re going.” He replies, as if stating a fact.

You nod, thinking of the right thing to say next. About how you will never betray Rhaenyra, how you only need to see him even if you’re not sure why, how you will be able to fend for yourself.

But your worries are quelled when Daemon says, “You better hurry then.”

“Daemon,” you say, not expecting him to just let this slide so easily.

“Listen, y/n, I trust you. I trust that you know what you’re doing,” he moves closer to you, “As for my nephew, he may be a bloody monster, and I may never forgive him, but I’m sure he thinks himself lucky to have someone like you to love him truly.”

You stare at him in admiration. There was a reason why Daemon drew so many people to him. He was cunning and highly dangerous, yes. But he was also intelligent and fair.

“I myself think the same way in that I have Rhaenyra to love me, as wretched as I am,” he smiles, and nudges your shoulder, “Go.”

You start to walk away, but you turn back once more, “Thank you, Daemon.”

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

The field is more or less the same, although the growth of gillyflower has become more relentless, pockets of red and violet and white spread all throughout.

You dismount from your dragon, close to Vhagar, and the great and terrifying beast only grunts in recognition. You were one of the only two people whom she was comfortable around, after your many trysts spent riding with Aemond.

“Hello again, you beauty,” you call out to her, “Where is your master, hmm?”

The field itself was empty, but there was a new fixture in the distance, close to the hills. A small, stone cabin, with faint candlelight burning inside.

Steeling yourself, you make your way over, knowing that nothing can truly prepare you for what’s to come.

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

“My love.”

You hear him the moment you walk inside, and you have to stop yourself from running straight into his arms. You raise your head, and finally meet his gaze.

Aemond looks rougher, more rugged. As if the war has taken its toll. All the fighting must have strained him, as his figure is still lean and lithe but more muscular.

“Aemond,” you finally say, taking a quick glance around the room. It’s a humble space, with a large bed pushed up against the wall, candles haphazardly placed around the room. You see a bunch of gillyflower on a round table, weapons hung neatly above the fireplace, as well as…

Aemond follows your eyeline, and takes the framed image from the wall.

“Do you wish to see it?” he says, but he’s already handing it to you.

Taking it in your hands, you study the image containing a likeness of you. Every detail of your face, to your neck, down to your shoulders, portrayed by an artist’s skilled hand.

You try to comprehend what the fuck exactly it is you’re looking at, and you also can’t seem to grasp how cordial Aemond is acting about everything.

As if he hadn’t played a hand in the demise of some people you truly cared for.

You slowly hand the painting back to him, the words stuck in your throat.

He hangs it back up, “Beautiful, isn’t it, my love? I had it made not too long ago. As for this place, well, I needed somewhere where I can still have you. One way or another.”

“What are you talking about?” you manage to say.

“I haven’t been able to see you in far too long, my love. Too. Long.”

“There’s a clear reason for that, Aemond,” you say firmly, growing uneasy at the unhinged look in his eye, unblinking, devouring the sight of you.

He reaches for your hands, and you instinctively flinch backwards.

“Don’t, Aemond.”

“Why not, hmm?” he circles you, pacing ever so slowly, stopping just behind you, “You came here on your own volition, pet. You wanted to come, to see me.”

“I came to talk.”

“Hmm,” he makes the low noise that he always does, and it makes you want to just capture that sound from his lips with your own. He lowers the hood of your cloak, and you just stand there, letting the situation unfold.

Aemond’s fingers brush purposefully against the back of your neck as he takes your cloak off, and leaves in it a pile by your feet.

He steps closer, and you feel his breath against your neck. Using one hand, he pulls you to his chest. You don’t want to turn around and face him, afraid you might lose control, but you also can’t find it in you to move away.

“You built this place,” you state, your voice flat.

“This is our secret place, y/n,” he whispers close to your ear, “Every corner is a tribute to you. There is your picture, your favourite flowers, the sheets are of your favourite colour, the volumes on the mantel are the stories you like the most. Through this, I have some way of being with you.”

“Aemond,” you force yourself to pull away from him, “my love.”

“You finally said it,” he smiles.

“What?” you lean against a wall.

“My love,” he says, and moves to sit on a chair opposite you, “you’ve called me by name since you arrived, until then. Even though I don’t mind the way my name rolls off of your sweet tongue.”

“Stop,” you remind yourself that you came here for answers, “why did you call me here? Aren’t you about to wed?”

“Only for the sake of my duty, to further the Targaryen line.”

“Really? Why Alys Rivers then? Why not some highborn, legitimate lady?” your voice grows cold, and Aemond smirks at your jealousy.

“Because I simply don’t care. It pisses mother off, and you as well, it seems.”

“It doesn’t matter. You’re free to wed whomever you wish, Aemond.”

“No,” he says, “I am not. Otherwise, I would have wed you a long time ago.”

“Well, your actions have forever buried that possibility,” you say too quickly, ire reflected in your words.

He flinches at your words, his lips pursing, “I only do what I have to do.”

“You didn’t have to kill Luke!” you lunge forward, your hand flying to the hilt of your sword by your waist.

Aemond notices your movement, but does nothing, “Hmm, Luke was merely a casualty in this war.”

“He was your family, Aemond. He was just a child. Why?”

He says nothing, and looks at you up and down, assessing your growing distress.

“Do you even regret it?” you ask.

A long pause passes, until he says, “I only regret that it has caused you pain.”

“Wrong answer, Aemond.” You unsheathe your sword, holding it out straight it front of you, “Fight me.”

This is the only right thing you can think of doing. The other things that have crossed your mind were completely unsavoury, unthinkable acts to do with the murderer who caused the death of your friend. You shouldn’t reach for him, you shouldn’t kiss him, you shouldn’t admire him, you shouldn’t run your fingers down his scar with reverence. Never again.

So, perhaps, you should bring him to justice.

“My love,” his tone is amused, and you grow even more frustrated.

“Get your sword.”

He stands, a sly curve on his prominent bowed lips.

My brave girl, he thinks.

“You’re so beautiful when you’re angry.”

For fuck’s sake, Aemond. No. “Your sword, Aemond.”

He backs away slowly to where his sword hangs above the fireplace, takes it, and diligently twirls it in one hand.

Your nerve starts to fail. Aemond was surely a better swordsman; he has been furiously training all his life. But, well, so have you.

Long ago, you and him even trained together. You may stand a chance.

“Your move, pet,” he says, tauntingly.

You cross the distance between the two of you, and deal the first parry, your blades connecting loudly in the air. An electric pause occurs, and Aemond smirks at you.

You dodge to the side, and lunge at him again. He easily deflects the blow.

You circle each other, and it’s unclear as to who is the predator and who is the prey.

Aemond deals a wide overhead arch, and you’re quick to block it halfway. This brings his face dangerously close to yours, and he whispers, nearly against your lips, “Surrender, my love.”

“Never,” you lunge backwards again, and Aemond twirls his sword smoothly, once, twice, and another final time.

Then, he spins in a circle, his sword a mere blur in the air, before delivering his final stroke, pushing you against the wall, the edge of his blade an inch away from your neck.

But, you were able to anticipate this, at the last second, as your sword slipped from your grasp.

“I win, pet. You’re mine.”

“Think again.” you whisper, and when he looks down, he finally notices the sharp edge of your knife poking at his ribs.

He looks at you in awe, “Well, I suppose we both have each other then, my love.”

He lunges forward, and claims your lips in a searing kiss. Wild, and passionate, as if to make up for lost time. Your respective blades remain where they are, and he muses, “Hmm, you know, we could just kill each other here. A glorious lovers’ death.”

“Aemond,” you say, out of breath from the kiss, and let your knife clatter to the floor.

He does the same with his sword, and pushes you against the wall once more, using his whole body to keep you in place.

“Tell me what you came for, my love. The truth.”

“I…” you say, deciding to let everything go, “I came for you.”

That is all he needed. And, for you, it feels freeing to allow yourself to just want Aemond. To love him. Despite what’s he has done, and how wrong this may be.

Your Aemond.

You run your fingers down the side of his face, and he shuts his eye in ecstasy. Your fingers stop at his eyepatch, asking permission, and he nods once, immediately.

His sapphire eye never fails to take your breath away. If anything, it only made him look otherworldly. Ethereal.

“Beautiful,” you whisper, and his heart swells.

He takes your face in his hand, admiration raw in his expression. Then he lifts you, wrapping your legs around his waist.

Your lips battle each other, as he strides over to the bed. He gently lowers you, and your arms naturally reach for his neck, bringing him down with you.

He chuckles deeply, flattered by your eagerness, “Patience, my love.”

“I have been patient,” you respond, as he nips at your neck, “but now I just want to take.”

“Hmm,” he muses, “I’ve missed your fire.”

“I’ve missed my dragon.”

“And,” he says, softly, pausing to kiss you, “a dragon…” another kiss, “is nothing…”, and another, “without its fire.”

“Oh, Aemond.”

He presses his forehead to yours, “I am lost without you.”

He makes swift work of untying your dress, only pausing to leave kisses down your body, until you’re left in a sheer white shift. You sit up, helping him remove his tunic, admiring every ripple of muscle, every new scar, every stretch of his glowing skin. His hair had come loose, the signature Targaryen silver like an aura surrounding him.

When he’s undressed, he takes the final piece of clothing off of you, the white shift that leaves nothing to the imagination, and throws that to the floor with the rest.

You begin a sort of dance, one that you both know so well, repeated over many sleepless nights filled with passion.

He always starts with you, lowering himself down to your heat. You almost come undone every time you see him, lips close to your entrance, before he makes the first taste. His eye gleams up at you, and then he begins.

Tongue swirling at your entrance, while his thumb masterfully plays with your folds. He keeps at it for a long moment, before he takes a second to look you right in the eye while he brings his fingers to his lips.

“Mmm,” he breathes, then he lowers his lips to your wet cunt once more.

“Aemond,” your fist bunch up at the sheets, your back arches, your toes curl.

He makes you tremble, your breath hitching at intervals.

He feels you getting close, so he licks one last strip upward, “Not yet, my love.”

“Yes, my prince.”

“Hmm, say that again,” he gets up, positioning his knees on either side of your thighs.

“My Prince Aemond,” you say, “Mine.”

“Yours,” he purrs.

He takes your lips again, an action you will never grow tired of, his fingers gripping your hair. He kisses down your cheek, your jaw, then your neck. He sucks at the flesh, marking his territory, making you press your pelvis onto his, feeling the length of his hardened shaft.

“Hmm,” he shivers, “fuck.”

You wrap your legs around his waist, urging him to position himself, and he does.

His pushes his tip to your cunt. Torturously, but only just.

“Oh, for gods’ sake,” you moan, “come inside me, Aemond.”

He laughs, “As you wish, my love.”

He stretches you wide, pushing inch by inch, and you have to grow accustomed to his size once more.

“Oh, fuck,” you moan.

“Does it hurt badly, my love?” he is quick to ask, watching your face intently.

“It’s okay,” you grip the back of his neck, “keep going.”

With one deep grunt, he fills you completely, thrusting deep.

He moans, music to your ears, and whispers your name. He rolls his hips backward, then forward again, the motion more rough this time, moving your entire body upward.

“Aemond,” you whisper, “my Aemond.”

“My love,” he looks at you in wonder, sprawled beneath him, “it’s only been you. It will only ever be you.”

You pull his face down to yours, kissing him passionately. His hips resume movement. Slow, deep thrusts at first.

Then he turns wild. He ruts into you, quicker, more frantic, the smacking sounds of flesh and sweat, and unhinged animalistic moans echoing throughout the room.

He does a surprising move, his fingers first drifting around your neck, then applying pressure, and he looks like a vengeful, hot-blooded god above you. His face hovers just inches above yours, and his grip on your neck unexpectedly excites you, the danger of Aemond only serving to make things more erotic, and reckless. Your dark prince.

You dig your nails into his wrist, returning the pressure.

“You should have married me,” he breathes, “why didn’t you run away with me?”

“Aemond,” everything throbs, the fire in your abdomen reaching its climax, from his frenzied thrusts, to his hand on your neck, to his crazed expression.

“You’re mine. They can’t have you. No one else can.” His words are punctuated with hard thrust, after hard thrust.

Almost simultaneously, gloriously, you both come apart. Aemond spasms inside you, filling you with his seed. Your hips continue to jerk against him, as you writhe uncontrollably, riding down your high.

He places one more soft kiss upon your lips, then collapses beside you.

You close your eyes in satisfaction, letting the feeling wash over you.

You feel his fingertips on your neck, and you open your eyes, finding him lying on his side, studying you.

“Was that okay?" he asks, referring to his grip on your neck.

“Mhmm,” you reassure him, turning to your side as well.

He hums in return, before smirking, “I knew you couldn’t resist.”

You laugh at his forwardness, and he looks at you lovingly.

He leans forward to kiss you, “My heart has returned.”

You feel a pang of guilt at how you left him, all that time ago, even if it may have been the right thing to do. It will never be simple between you and Aemond.

“I missed you,” you say wholeheartedly.

“And what of your love?” he says, taking your hand.

“My Aemond,” you press your forehead to his, “It will never be gone.”

taglist: @dazecrea @ladystardvsts @afro-hispwriter @dudfahsn @poohkie90 @literishdegree99 @cleverzonkwombatsludge @lilostif16 @deeeeexx @nephitis @ladymoon666 @minicikasworld @livimulati @the-orions-belt @blueskies4everxo @stillinracooncity @julieeba @lawlerek @missusnora @wickedbutlovely @camspnt @umavvitch @claudie-080102 @abcdefghi-lmnopqrstuvwxyz @puredicks @crazylokonugget @lj127 @amethystwonders11 @icarusignite @mandyki @darylandbethfanforever9 @highexpectationsgurl @narwhal-swimmingintheocean

I've decided to save most of the sadness & regret for the next part, and yes, there will be a part 3. Our boy Aemond is still to be married after all. And he is still a "bloody monster" with majestic hair.

I hope I've tagged all those who asked - I'll keep yous tagged for any upcoming Aemond fic as well.

Taglist open - just comment.

PS. Alys Rivers is apparently Aemond's lover in the books, and I fear the feral jealous monster I will become if they decide to show that old hag in the upcoming seasons of HOTD. Sorry, not sorry.

[catherinetheprincessofwales]

Four generations of The House of Windsor and The Kennedy Family.

1938 - Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy presents her daughters Rosemary and Kathleen to the Court of St James. Kathleen married the future Duke of Devonshire in 1944 and became the Marchioness of Hartington, her husband tragically died months later in World War II. In 1948 she died in a place crash while travelling with her intended future husband the 8th Earl of FitzWilliam.

1939 - King George VI and Queen Elizabeth with US Ambassador Joseph Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy.

1961 - Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip host US President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacquline Bouvier Kennedy.

1963 - Prince Philip attends the funeral of John F. Kennedy. Prince Philip is remembered as comforting the young John F. Kennedy Jr. by playing toys with him on the floor of the White House playroom.

1965 - Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip Jacqueline Kennedy and her children Caroline and John Jr. inaugurate the memorial to the late US President John F. Kennedy in Runnymede, England. Runnymede was the location of the legendary tales of King Arthur and Camelot. The legendary tales were often used to describe the JFK presidency.

2005 - Prince Charles and Maria Kennedy Shriver, niece of John F. Kennedy in the gardens of the California Governors Mansion, her now former husband Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

2022 - Prince William meets Caroline Kennedy, US Ambassador to Australia and her children Jack and Tatiana Schlossberg in Boston for Williams Earthshot Prize Award, which is inspired by JFKs Moonshot.

[thehuntfortrencherlostmedia]

Hello folks.

So, I waited a while to let everything marinate in my brain before writing this. Haven is an interesting album to discuss in the grand scheme of the Trench discography. Everything feels familiar & status quo, but different, new & exciting all at once. Its production is fantastic throughout and truly allows for everything to shine. It’s also their most cinematic album to date, which is saying something given what Astoria was inspired by.

So let’s break down each track, shall we?

A Normal Life: Already gushed about this one when it came out and my thoughts haven’t changed one bit. This just might be my new favourite opener. There’s just a little sprinkling of everything from all across their discography that allows this beauty to marinate and stand on its own.

Lightning & Thunder: I’m torn. I like it still, but I do think that when you listen to it within the context of the album it loses something. It was definitely made to be a radio single. There’s nothing wrong with that.

I’m Not Getting Better: Straight to the point, catchy & fun. I really have nothing else to say on the song.

Down To You: Arguably the biggest earworm on the album. This one gets in your head and it just stays with you.

Now or Never: The By Now of the record for me. Soft & yet full of momentum all at once. This is a dream worth fighting for, indeed. Also, while both INGB & DTY show off a more R&B/Funk flow, it really sticks on this song, and now that you’ve noticed it, you’ll be hearing it a lot throughout the record.

Into The Storm: Hello, Porcelain. But also… it’s own thing. It might not be giving up, but I don’t see it as surrender either. I see it as going with the flow, facing your problems head on. This is also the first true dive into Josh’s relationship with Amanda on the album, and how he’s so happy they finally figured out how to co-exist.

Ancient History: Oh hi, Astoria. You mind if I take elements of Burning Up & Yesterday and blend them into something new? And how about the past arguments in his and Amanda’s relationship don’t matter, and how it was nice to meet back up with her. It shows how time can heal relationships. Also, SAXOPHONE. That is all.

Stand and Fight: The actual Porcelain of the record. People thought they were gonna go in a This Meets War for this song, when instead it’s a slow burn that truly stays with you.

Turn & Run: Here’s how you do a sequel song and then make it stand out from its older brother. Much like the combos of Celebrity Status/Perfect & B-Team/Toy Soldiers, both sides of the coin make me giddy inside. And holy cow… welcome to the edge indeed. That hint of Fix Me screaming… I need more of it Josh. Please? I’ll be a good girl. There’s also a lot of Masterpiece Theatre II on this one. Easily my favourite of the short songs.

Worlds Collide: I go back and forth on this one in my head. There’s parts of me that love it, there’s parts of me that feels it’s too similar to the two tracks before it…. And then we have the end. And that just… made me smile. Also, I love Josh SCREAMING “Nobody’s Safe” and the fact they left in the vocal crack. That’s how you can tell his emotions are in full display here. So yeah.

Nights Like These: The comforting palette cleanser after three songs hit you with whiplash back to back to back. It’s very reminiscent of tavern songs, sea shanty’s & is just a warm hug of a track. Also, breaking down the fact that sometimes it’s nice to have just a cozy, relaxing night with friends. Feels like the Who Do You Love of the record too.

Remember Me By: Um, Micheal? Did you just possess Josh again? This feels so 80’s R&B I can’t help but love it. Also, Ian! Nice to hear you sing, bud. We’ve heard the other three all throughout this record and now we get your voice on top of the amazing percussion. Kudos.

Haven: So, here we are. The closing track. And, it’s good. It feels like they took The Killing Kind , Masterpiece Theatre III & End of An Era Abd threw them in a blender… and the result came out great, but… it does lack something to me? And if anything, it brings out the fact this album fits into the Relationship Theory too: It is about starting anew like I said ages ago but also about how their relationship (Josh & Amanda) isn’t perfect but he loves the imperfection now that they’ve figured out how to make it work. She might’ve broke his heart once but he reconciled & became stronger because of it. And now he can show that all across these 13 tracks.

So yeah. Haven’s likely my album of the year, and I do like it. But I do think that while it has some of the highest highs the band had ever reached, I do think they didn’t fully nail the Hero’s Journey theming & that it’s not as cohesive as some of their other work. It’s a sturdy S-, easily #2 or #3 in my overall rankings, even #1 depending on the day.

[ask19thcentury-doctorgilbert]

"I was always more of a quiet kid, greatly preferring my books and toys, and the company of those that I was familiar with. I suppose that's why Fritz and I got on well -- We were of the same temperament and had more than a couple shared interests. Being a part of such an unconventional family hasn't always been easy... Especially now that I'm more grown and am more aware of tensions brought about by politics and the like. But I wouldn't change it for the world."

Portrait descriptions under the cut!!

Portrait 1: The Berlin Family, painted in more recent times.

(L to R Back) Otto (Order of St. John), Niklot (Reiner's son, Neubrandenburg), Konrad (Berlin), Gilbert (Prussia), Rahela (Gilbert's wife, Romania), Reiner (Brandenburg), Ilse (Potsdam), Johanna (Koenigsberg), (L to R Front) Ludwig (German Empire), Sztefa (Silesia) - Gilbert and Rahela were wed in 1866, after Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen came to the Romanian throne as King Carol I of Romania. The marriage is purely political, but the two maintain a cordial and warm friendship. much to Erzsi's dismay - Niklot is Reiner's son, born from a human lover he had before the 30 Years War. Father and son were only recently reunited in the 1820s. - Sztefa is Gilbert's adopted daughter, taken in during the First Silesian war, and raised in part by Frederick II. Served in the volunteer corps during the Napoleonic era disguised as a man. Is Ludwig's scary lesbian older sister.

Portrait 2: The Vienna family, painted c. 1830s.

(L to R Back) Erzsebet (Hungary), Sztefa, Anneliese (Vienna), Roderich (Austria) (L to R Front) Ludwig, Gilbert - Roderich may be bonded to Austria, but his sister Anneliese, who embodies the capital, takes more of a leading role when it comes to government matters.

[coaz-photography]

This guy was one of my favorite toys as a kid

[foreverknightalways]

Flashback: London, England, 1941 during World War II

As Nicholas places the toy fire truck on the fireplace mantle and turns around to speak with LaCroix. Nicholas says, Really. Nicholas met with a growl and shocked look on his face, as he realizes its Daniel, vamped out. Daniel greets Nicholas, Hello, Nicky! Welcome home.

[gremoria411]

My it sure is nice how, because I clearly tag things, tumblr has no problem with finding my old posts, isn’t it?

Sure is great when you want to return to an old topic, you can easily reference an older post, isn’t it?

Anyway, I was thinking about some of my favourite mobile suits recently, and more specifically how they fight.

The Sinanju and Sinanju Stein (strictly speaking that’s unit 2 above, but the Sinanju Stein Unit 1 only shows up physically once anyways, so I tend to conflate the two) from Universal Century, and the Gundams Bael and Zepar from Post Disaster. The Bael and Sinanju’s are thematically and functionally similar, if not so much visually, since they’re piloted by the series resident Char Clones, Full Frontal and Mcgillis Fareed respectively, and thus have a similar fighting style - high mobility and very flashy, typically dodging with minimal effort and taking out scores of foes near-effortlessly. The Sinanju Stein (Unit 2) certainly could fight like that, but its pilot Zoltan Akkanekan is…… not in a great place mentally, and as such he tends to be more brutish, always pushing the attack and closing ranks with his enemy very quickly (we only see him fight once in the Sinanju Stein before it docks with the Neo Zeong II, so it’s possible that his aggression is more due to the enemy being a Gundam, as opposed to any real strategy). The Gundam Zepar we have even less information on, but since we know both that it doesn’t have any ranged weaponry, and that most of the emphasis seems to be on the shield, we can guess it would want to get close fairly quickly, and would be well-prepared for a reprisal.

And this reminded me of something I mentioned previously when discussing non-Gundam Mecha series - I like when we know the “thesis” of the mecha. I like when we know why they were built and what the in-universe theory was in their construction (Or at the very least, we can guess, as with The Big O). It makes the world feel realer to me, and don’t get me wrong, I love giant robots, but it feels wonderfully cohesive when there’s an in-universe justification. I don’t typically forget the out-of-universe justification “to sell toys” but it feels less “Johnson, quarterly earnings aren’t looking good, make a property we can merchandise things out of” and more “Hey, this guy’s got an idea for a cool show about robots, maybe there’ll be a market for cool toys there?”.

Weird tangent on the relationship between entertainment and merchandising aside, I like Universal Century because it’s got a strong “thesis” - mobile suits were designed primarily as an anti-ship weapon that would engage at visual range, due to the effects of Minovsky particles rendering most long-range weapons difficult to aim. They’re fast, and carry handheld weaponry both for ease of use, maintenance and operability and they’re an extension of “armoured space suits”. There’s even the military angle of “a secret weapon to to win us the war against a foe that could beat us conventionally”, and I’d assumed that, with a few exceptions like Wing and G Gundam, most of Gundam followed that same thesis.

However, I realised that’s perhaps not quite true with Iron-Blooded Orphans (or at least it’d be interesting to consider why it might not be true). The above graph is an illustration of the breakdown of forces used in the calamity war, and how they were deployed depending on the field. Quote: The unit formation deployed against the mobile armors depended on where the battlefield was. On Earth and Mars, the Gundam Frames served as the main fighting units, and they destroyed the mobile armors one by one with assistance from other mobile suits and supporting units. In space, the Dáinsleifs were used as the main weapon, and were assisted by mobile suits, including Gundam Frames, and other supporting units. On the Moon, mobile suit teams like the one deployed on Earth and Mars were also used in addition to the aforementioned use of the Dáinsleif.

So I got to wondering if Post Disaster (or I guess Current Disaster) mobile suits had a different development ethos, since they were deployed largely terrestrially.

Mobile suits were only used during the Middle and Late stages of the war, which implies they were developed during it. The above Rodi and Hexa Frames were developed first, with the Gundam And Valkyrja Frames following in the later stages of the War. It’s also stated that, quote: The beginning of the Calamity War was the result of AI-equipped, self-sustaining weapon systems going out of control. Before the outbreak of the Calamity War, automated machinery was a symbol of wealth and abundance, and humans were actively promoting the automation of wars. With the risk of losing valuable soldiers reduced as the weapons were AI operated, and the introduction of the semi-permanent Ahab Reactor as a power source, mobile armors became the ideal weapon that can fight efficiently and persistently. So, it’s possible that after the Mobile Armours were unleashed, there was a rush to adapt previously autonomous weaponry into something human-controlled, with the Rodi and Hexa Frames representing these early steps. Furthermore, it’s stated that Mobile Armours acquired Nanolaminate Armour, so beam weaponry would presumably have been used in the early stages of the war.

So, could Mobile Suits in IBO be autonomous weaponry adapted for human use, as opposed to the Universal Century’s “Armoured Space Suits” line of thinking? We know that Alaya-Vijinana works best with forms closer to the human form - hence the Gundam Frames being constructed as close to the human form as possible. Another angle might be that of upsized Knights, here to slay the mechanical monsters that threaten humanity.

So it’s an interesting angle compared between the series - in one, mobile suits were built for wars in space, fought between nations. In the other, mobile suits were built to be used terrestrially, in response the threat of extinction by mechanical foes humanity unwittingly unleashed upon itself.

(Also, it’s interesting to look at how common mobile armours and automated weaponry were in the pre-post disaster setting, since I just imagine Treize Kushrenada from Gundam Wing being distinctly unhappy)

[multific]

Back Home

Aegon II Targaryen x Reader

Summary: After the war's over, the house of Targaryen is at peace once again. 

A/N: This story does not follow the events of the books or the series. 

Aemond groaned at his father, how he wished for Aegon to be back so he could keep taking the blame and be the bad child.

With Aegon gone for the last year, Aemond was now on the chopping board. 

After the war, Aegon flew away quicker than any of the losers. Aemond always knew his brother never wanted to rule, but this in his eye was an overreaction. No one expected Aegon to be back ever again.

Until one day.

News of Sunfyre landing spread like wild fire.

Alicent, Aemond and Helaena all rushed to see if the news were true.

They watched as the golden dragon left, leaving two people behind.

Everyone immediately noticed that the Aegon who dismounted this dragon was definitely not the one who left.

As if a changed man, Aegon stood in front of his family. His back straight, his hair kept, face smooth and on his arm, a lady.

If it wasn't for his recognizeable features and hair, his family wouldn't have recognized him.

Everyone's attention was now on the lady by his side. 

She was breathtaking, her dress complimented her skin tone perfectly, her hair flew as the wind blew it and she had a smile on. Such a kind smile. 

Everyone watched as she moved towards them.

"My Darling, this is my family, Mother, Sister and Brother." spoke Aegon but everyone seemed frozen into one place. They watched her bow slightly before once again standing straight. "My family, I would like for you to meet my wife, Y/N."

Silence. Complete and utter silence.

"Pleasure to meet you all. My name is Y/N Y/L/N. From the House of Y/L/N. I told Aegon that we should have sent word of our arrival." You looked at your husband, worried that no one spoke but all he did was smile at you.

You felt uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, did you say, wife?" his mother finally asked Aegon.

"Correct, we got married... five months ago. Lady Y/N took me off my feet. Made me into an honest man."

"It has been four months since our wedding, but the rest is correct."

Disbelief. You could feel it in the air but the proof was right in front of them.

Aegon, the second of his name, was standing right in front of them, someone they never expected to see and yet, here he was. With a lady by his side and if Alicent was honest with herself, she barely recognized her own son. 

"Shall we?" asked Aegon as he guided her to the palace. 

---

"So, this is your room?"

"It is exactly as I left it." he smiled, trying not to think too much of the bad memories. 

You turned to him, raising a brow as you pointed at one of his... toys.

"Oh, that... that is..."

"Something you can never use on me. I don't know where it has been or even if it was washed." you nearly gagged.

"My Love, you don't have to be so prude. We have done our fair share of... experiments."

"Get new ones then." you said as you moved towards the window. "Are you sure this is the right thing to do?"

"I'm not sure. But what you said is true. I cannot hide from who I am. I cannot run to the other side of the world because I never want to rule. You changed me, My Love."

"I pride myself on that. You looked like a homeless person when I first met you, never imagined you would be a prince." Aegon laughed at the memory as you joined him on his bed, sitting next to him allowing his hands to take yours.

"I looked and smelled like a homeless person and yet, your kind soul helped me. I never wanted to marry anyone, and yet there I was merely months later, getting wed to you and I couldn't be happier."

"Why are you reminiscing on the past? We should be focusing on the future. This is the perfect place to start the new life we wanted."

"Oh, how I love you Y/N." his eyes were shining, he couldn't be happier he swore. "Do you love me?"

"I do, Targaryen or not, prince or homeless, my heart belongs to you."

You were the first person to show him love. 

True love.

You found him, barely alive, drowning in his own vomit and yet, you helped him, housed him, nursed him and fell in love with him. Even when your father warned you, you stayed by his side. Not only that but you married him, Aegon is still shocked that your father allowed your marriage, but he was convinced he saw the Targaryen name not Aegon himself. But he couldn't care less. 

"Why would you want to go back?" you asked exactly a month ago when Aegon brought up the topic of moving back to his old home. "I know I said you cannot run from who you are but I didn't mean for you to-"

"I want to go back and prove them all wrong. Prove it to them that I can be King and I can be a good one. I was afraid before but having you now, I know I can do it."

You nodded, knowing Aegon was stubborn as a mule. 

"Then I shall follow my husband wherever he goes." you smiled as did he.

Aegon had you now. 

You still looked around his room as women came to clean everything, and change the bedding. You found it interesting how his old room was so much like him.

He guided you around the palace, showing you everything, pointing out the things that have changed before he stood in front of his father.

The Iron throne is something you only heard in stories before. And the man sitting on it. Barely a man anymore. He didn't have much time, it was clear to you.

"Father, this is my wife Y/N." another introduction to another member of Aegon's family. 

The man in front of you, clearly responsible for the pain his son went through and you could barely pretend to be kind. But you knew you had to. You felt your husband’s hand tighten around yours as you bowed to the kind. 

Aegon had you now, and soon he will take the throne.

Taglist: imreadinggoaway @fleursirvart​​ @v-2bucky ehsebastiancrunch-time-sports  @pxstelrainbow ablogbypeteparker liamssmilersmexylemony @greenarrowhead feelingsareharddd @thisismysecrethappyplace @sincerelyfan @theoneanna @aestheticsandmarvel @rororo06 @castellandiangelo @avengers-r-us @destynelseclipsa   @spilledinkindumpster celebsimagine @capsiclesdoll snoopy3000 @firstangeldragonranch @puknow @crazzyter  @alwayshave-faith @soleil-dor @alex12948 scream-kiwi79  @lxdyred  @imagines-by-a-typical-fangirl​ @liveforkarljacobs @anonymoussherlockandmarvelgeek​​ @paola-carter​​ @stunkbiggu

~Masterlist~

ˇAO3ˇ

             DO NOT REPOST OR TRANSLATE ANY OF MY WORKS

[chloesolace]

Taylor Swift Inspired One-Shot Series

A series of multifandom one-shots inspired by Taylor Swift songs that I will write in the coming weeks and gradually add to. The one-shots will be linked on my masterlist and here

Baldur's Gate 3

My Tears Ricochet - Astarion x Reader

False God - Raphael x Reader

Would've, Could've, Should've - Gale x Reader ++TBA++

Marvel Cinematic Universe

I Can See You - Doctor Strange x Reader

Cowboy Like Me - Loki x Reader ++TBA++

Afterglow - Wanda Maximoff x Reader ++TBA++

House of the Dragon

My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys - Daemon Targaryen x Reader ++TBA++

Maroon - Aemond Targaryen x Reader ++TBA++

I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) - Aegon II Targaryen x Reader ++TBA++

The Hobbit

Midnight Rain - Thranduil x Reader

Wizarding World

The Last Great American Dynasty - Lucius Malfoy x Reader

The Boys (TV)

Is It Over Now? - Homelander x Reader

The Great War - Soldier Boy x Reader ++TBA++

Hannibal (TV)

The Lakes - Hannibal Lecter x Reader

Grey's Anatomy

Dress - Izzie Stevens X Denny Duquette ++TBA++

[a-roguish-gambit]

So for dragon Gambit au: the subject of magneto

Every dragon mutant has their thing that they obsessively hoard, sometimes multiple things. For Gambit, it's cat themed items (also cool and rare mardigras throws/beads but that's more of his and rogue's shared collection than purely his); for Storm it's chia pets, unique shaped plant pots and rare plants, and obsidian trinkets with gold accents to them; for Bobby it's 80-90s "x-treme sportz" parifinalia and cheesey desk toys; and for jean its antique books, sewing machines, bolts of discontinued/unique fabric, and vintage sewing patterns.

But for Magento, it's mutants which causes problems. Because Dragon Magneto has such trauma from his background in world war II his hoarding tendencies basically turned into him collecting mutants and trying forcibly stuff them somewhere safe from humans. It's Noble in thought but because of how the dragon hording tendencies work, they tend to objectify (not in a sexual way) what they collect. The need to have something in the collection can override morals on how they get it into the collection. he tends to disregard someone's own opinion on whether or not they're getting collected. He's mentally justified it with a "you don't know what is best for yourself, I do" mentality. Genosha kinda becomes his horde. If he takes a liking to you and you are a mutant there is an 80% chance of him snatching you up and dropping you off there. He's tried to get Charles to stay with him several times early on (with much less force) but stops once he became paralyzed, out of fear of causing further harm to his friend by pressuring him to join him.

And it becomes an especially big problem when he starts admiring rogue. it's not romantic but he wants her for his cause. He wants her in genosha as his friend. And he's got a territorial streak when it comes to other dragons and his hoard so Gambit being in the picture pisses him off.

Girl can handle herself and literally push him off if she wants, and he respects her enough to not try to just grab her, but it's no less frustrating and stressful when he tries to contact her to get her to come to genosha with him.

"genosha is much safer for mutants I think you will like it there much more,"

"Ah appreciate that, but Ahm fine here. Maybe me and Gambit will come on vacation sometime. But not now."

"but wouldn't you rather be somewhere you don't have to check over your shoulder for mutant haters?"

"Ahm a big girl, Magneto. I can literally lift my dragon boyfriend's ass when he's in full form and knock a man out with a kiss. Ah of all people have nothin to worry about."

"yes but-"

*Gambit grabs the phone* "look, If we get da Professor to visit ya for a few days will ya leave chere alone with ya dumb time share scheme fo a while?"

"it's not a-! *Growls*....please I would love to see Charles."

"bon. We'll get him on a plane in a week or so."