#a noble sacrifice that i giggle while writing
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Note
Got a fic idea if ya want to run with it đš what would what if black blood made into one of the link bloodstream? đđđ
thats an interesting question! i think that it would really only have much of an effect on twilight or four seeing as theyre a little more in tune with dark magic than the others but i also think that the triforce would probably neutralize it if not the master sword.
ive tossed the idea around of maybe doing a twi infected fic which eventually became The Wolf during whumptober 2023. i put my man through so much already XD and on top of infection i also roll with shadow curse on him. he would be a Mess.
it could be fun to try out some time tho! id love to know your thoughts on it <3
#somer answers#twi is my favorite and for this he must suffer#im not allowed to hang a punching bag in my studio#so its on him ig#a noble sacrifice that i giggle while writing
8 notes
¡
View notes
Text
â Yandere Younger Woman
x Older [Reader]
W|W ⢠Age gap ⢠Yandere ⢠Historical Themes ⢠Mention of de/ath
Eris Nightingale is the most prominent noble of all. The royal family's first heir. A child prodigy, capable of playing variety of musical instruments at such a young age. All of the nobles desired to be with her or be her.
Meanwhile you â âThe Disgrace of All Noblewomenâ. Currently kneeling in front of the supposed prominent noble. She reached for your chin, forcing you to gaze at her. A giggle formed on her lips.
âMarry me, Y/N. And I will give you everything.â You seemed outraged by her statement. Then you jerked the hands of the maids who were holding you down.
"I had been promised beforehand to wed the duke. I refused to back down on an agreement." Her expression darkens. Though she still maintained her smile. She leaned forward to you and muttered.
"Just know I wouldn't let you off the hook easily; release her." Her ladies stopped holding you down and left. Leaving you alone in the room.
And that's the reason you received the title : "The Disgrace of All Noblewomen". After getting married to the Duke. Your life has fallen apart.
You were referred as a seductress â for seducing both the duke and the princess. Alleged stories followed you around. No matter what you do, everyone seems to despise you. After all all, who would trust a witch who agreed to marry a widowed nobel?
"I-I didn't know I was getting married to a widower. They had simply stated he was a royal! Nothing else!!" you explained to your close companions, hoping they would support you.
"So you wedded because he was a royal?" One of them responded
"What?! No-!! I-"
"You should have been with the princess. You'll be more respected if you were a consort" They were laughing at your fate.
It wasn't the fairytale you expected. The Duke did not even recognise your existence. You were just there â a outcast within this family.
"You're not my mother! You will never be!" One of the young masters said, mocking you.
"Go away, fake mom. You'll never be as pretty as my real mom!"
"Yeah, go away! How dare you take her place you lowlife!" A maid hurriedly arrived to assist the children. Getting them away from you
Is this really your fate? Were you really destined for this? The princess does she still want you?
You promised yourself you wouldn't return, yet now you're kneeling in front of her.
"You're back." She smiles, as if she was expecting you.
"Please take me away from this hell."
"Oh but why should I?" She proceeded to play with your hair while smirking sinisterly.
"Please, I can't- I can't be"
"A nobody?" She cut you off. âBut you're already a nobody." She giggled and pulled your hair. Her eyes appeared insane.
"I didn't want to punish you for long. I'm glad I didn't have to.. do filthy deeds for you."
"The day I debut, is the day you'll get into an accident. But rest assured that you aren't going die. Well.. your body mightâ"
"âWha-What do you mean?!" You began to be scared, and began to back away.
"Oh dear, you can't back away." Your back smacks the wall. "After your death, you will wake up as one my maids, got it?"
"What?! I don't want toâ"
"Oh did you think I would like you in your.. body? Well no, I just need an inner being for my dearest maid. Tragically she had the courage to harm herself. Don't worry, you'll be an excellent sacrifice"
You felt something strike at the palm of your hand. As your vision began to fade. The princess's look has altered to that of a witch.
"Be a good girl and take the place of my maid"
Ideas raced across your thoughts. When did the princess develop interest in you again? Was there a gossip regarding the princess and her maid? If so, what happened to the deceased maid? What will happen to youâ You fainted.
The end.
This is actually a prequel! I don't really have the guts to write a full story, since I'n lazy hehe. But I hope that one day I could finally write a full story. And I really love this, one of my favorites actually!
Also if you get confused about the plot : So the princess is actually a witch who fell in love with a maid. The maid is a mortal being. The witch reincarnated her a lot of times. The witch would change her appearance and replace other souls. Like how she did when she took the princess body. Now the witch only wanted you because you have the soul of the maid. Because the maid k/lled herself when she got picked as the princess consort. Also the witch is able to manipulate people, which is why she's known as the greatest and can easily marry a woman. Which is like unrealistic if we're talking about historical times.
#YandereYoungerWomanxOlderReader#historical#yandere#yanderexreader#yandere female#yandere wlw#witch x reader#manwhaxreader#olderwomen
52 notes
¡
View notes
Note
Mask, Midnight, and Wound for the character of your choice.
Ooh, thank you, Alex!! These are all good questions!
mask: Does your OC wear a mask, literally or figuratively? What goes on beneath it? Is there anyone in their life who gets to see who they are under the mask?
Weirdly enough, despite my love of masked characters, none of my characters so far wear a literal mask. I'll have to change that. However, I will say that Kristopher does wear a kind of mask. He presents a facade of the man that the entire kingdom of Oryn sees him as: drunk, foolish, and flirtatious. He never shows how badly their taunts hurt him, and he acts like nothing matters to him. But in reality, he's suffering every moment he spends in Oryn, as long as his family and his people hate him. Once in Anvia he dons a different kind of mask. Almost exactly the reverse. He vows not to let anyone see the "real" him. (Or rather, what his parents and brothers have convinced him is the "real" him.) The fuck-up drunkard who is useless to anyone. Eventually Fallon pulls away all of his masks, and gets to see the real Kristopher. The damaged, hurt, suffering Kristopher, who wants nothing more than to be happy and to be loved. Even after the two of them are together, Kristopher still keeps up a certain degree of appearances to everyone except for Fallon. He doesn't want people to ever have an excuse or reason see him the way the people in Oryn did.
midnight: What keeps your OC up at night? Do they have nightmares? Fears? Anxieties? What do they do in the small hours of the morning when they should be sleeping?
Fallon is kept up by a lot of things. Sometimes it's worries or stress regarding her kingdom. Trade deals, foreign politics food stores, threats of crop failure or disease. Anything that could harm her kingdom in any way. Other times it's more personal worries. Memories of her mother, worry that she's failed at being a queen her mother would be proud of. Later on, after Lavinia's attack, it's nightmares. Lots and lots of nightmares. Nightmares where all of her loved ones die, and she can't do a thing to stop it. Some of the most devious ones put her father, Wymond, as a mastermind behind all of the loss and suffering Fallon has ever experienced. What she does when she can't sleep depends on the reason she's still awake. If it's worries about her kingdom, she may be up until the small hours of the morning writing letters to various nobles, merchants, or foreign dignitaries. If it's thoughts about her mother, she'll often just sit and let memories wash over her. If it's nightmares, she might try and distract herself, but often just ends up sitting there frightened.
continued under the cut for length
tw: physical injury, parental death, toxic relationships, human sacrifice
wound: How does your OC handle being wounded? Are their wounds mostly physical? Mental? Emotional? Whatâs the worst wound your OC has ever experienced?
Let's talk about a DnD OC here, just for shits and giggles. Let's talk about Cyra, my fire genasi barbarian/fighter. Cyra has experienced a lot of wounds in her life, both mental and physical. From the murder of her parents and entire hometown, to all the wounds sustained while fighting for the Brotherhood, to learning the truth of her girlfriend Talia's true nature, and deciding to flee the Brotherhood for good. Cyra is no stranger to being physically wounded, and they handle it quite well. She has a high pain tolerance, and any kind of bruise or scratch isn't even going to slow her down. Not a wound, per se, but the worst physical pain she's ever experienced was when our rogue's ex-wife (who now leads the very cult he's on a revenge quest against) tried to reach into Cyra's body and remove the magical quarter staff they can summon from their chest. The pain was excruciating, and as Cyra was paralyzed at the time, she couldn't even open her mouth to scream. (But she still tried, leaving her with nothing but a scratchy voice for days.) When it comes to emotional wounds, Cyra is far less resilient. She does not have any truly good coping mechanisms, and tends to bottle up her emotions, only releasing them when they fight. The two worst emotional wounds they have suffered have been 1) losing her parents in a Brotherhood raid (and subsequently being taking in by the Brotherhood to be raised as a soldier), and 2) learning that her girlfriend, Talia (the daughter of the cult leader) is not the person Cyra thought she was. Cyra had long held onto the hope of convincing Talia to leave the brotherhood, and that the two of them would run away together. But after witnessing Talia sacrificing a town full of innocents to the Brotherhood's mysterious god, she realized that Talia had simply been stringing her along.
4 notes
¡
View notes
Text
today, on this varyingly chilly day of the twenty-fifth of december, we commemorate the death and roast of the blessed squawkcoo, laying the way for the noble chewbacca to realize the error of his ways and repent consuming porgkind. as the porg so loved to do with his brethren, we remember his sacrifice by sharing how much we enjoy each other's company...
alright, alright, alright, enough jokes! merry christmas, god jul, frĂśhliche weihnachten, and happy holidays to everyone on the dash from a shockingly snowy oklahoma! whether you're celebrating something today or eating chinese (or in one confirmed case, middle eastern) food, i hope you're having a wonderful day. you all bring me such joy through your presence, and i hope (as i'll inevitably forget someone) if you don't find yourself on here, you know i still deeply appreciate you. i laugh, i cry, i squeal almost every day, all because of you and your muses. you're all so supremely talented, and i adore everything you produce.
now, without further ado...
FRIENDS, CORELLIANS, SITH LORDS: LEND ME YOUR DROIDS
@graysistance / @lionthought / @commandsir / @greenscrunchy & your plethora of blogs which are starting to rival the number of mine â PUCK, you beautiful, wonderful, sweetheart of a saltdish, you've listened to the ups and downs of my year side by side with hackett, always finding the time to come up with a comforting or encouraging word. your kindness is the sort of thing people like to claim their friends have, but you truly possess it. i adore talking about history with you, spinning out context with so many subjects we speak of, let alone specifically the group wwii au. your support for my various crafting projects always brings a smile to my face. i love to see the things you fun and across, including your growing collection of legends books. i adore how you characterize each of your characters, giving them the depths of compassion and forethought that so many hold. your internal dialogue is absolutely stunning and our plots make me giggle hysterically.
@aniimvs / @scoundrvls / @honorhunt / @hellmartyr & your equally numerous blogs of which each is perfection â HACKETT, considering how intrinsically tied you and puck are in equal measure to my time on this hellsite, i wish i could you both side by side at the top of this list. sadly, this is not a tumblr feature..... yet. in this year of coding and dash tumult, you have soldiered on behind the scenes irl, kicking names and taking ass, while popping up to deliver exquisite pain, cause minor chaos, and be the saltmine you are. our discussions of just how bad a certain... pad.mĂŠ writing author's work is brings me life. your technical history knowledge is top notch and i adore all you bring to the wwii au so much, let alone the jp and lotr aus you and puck have worked on. you, more so than perhaps anyone i write with are the queen of establishing a setting. i always love seeing where you decide to set a not established location thread and to build off the descriptions you give for it. it lends an effortless star wars vibe to everything... let alone your depth for your grey and dark muses... *chef's kiss*!
@carnalstress â literal best friend, JESS!!!!! even though i've only managed to the once so far, i am SO happy that i live close enough for us to visit each more often, and i'm so glad you're back to writing on tumblr. you bring so much comfort and joy into my life with your conviction and your kind heart. i admire your dedication to your field even when things get tough and that you're trying to find new avenues in it. you are such a wonderful friend. and your cat is the cutest thing. i hope this next year is the best one yet!
@debelltio / @impostre â ALISTAIR, you are perhaps the newest friend amongst this section of the list, but you are no less dear. i love the subjects we have crossing over interests and experiences in, from living in multiple cultures, to law, to history, food and beyond. i've really loved getting to know you over the last few months, and you do such a lovely job with orson and all your muses. it is just a whole wonderful thing.
@colpapabear â annika! i love that we've written together for so so long and bonded over so many different things. i especially love the vintage clothing and knitting discussions we've had of late. they bring me so so much joy. watching you take leaps and bounds in both and produce such pretty things is the literal best.
@darkestshadeofgrey â listen, i neeeed to respond to our threads because every single one without fail is a plot i am wild for. your characterize your muses so interestingly and each is so very compelling. and even though i'm often late to respond, i ADORE the star wars tiktoks you send me, so often so much pain.
@heirite â i know you haven't been on for a bit, but i'm very much hoping you'll come back and see this! you are such a lovely friend, and i adore your ben to pieces. he brings me such joy, and with you off doing irl, i occasionally go back and read through your blog for that ben sky.walker goodness!
@notimminent â hey you! not that you've ever been truly gone but i'm so glad we've met up again. i can't wait to turn our plotting into threads for emma! you're a truly wonderful person and i'm so happy to have you back more regularly on my dash.
@acharnemcnt / @finaliseurâ ame! i'm so very excited for some of the plots we're slowly working on and the threads we have in the works. you've also been so so kind. i very much enjoy your hux, and i'm thrilled about the new multi AND the ask blog AND rae. it's all so so cool!
@galaxycrxss / @hamadaxfighter â hey hey, i very much enjoy your clone squad. and the genius boy. watching you flesh out echo and hiro is a lovely thing, as well as hearing about all your ideas for the future!
@astraldestiny â listen, you adding winter hands down made my week! the plethora of legends characters you write never fails to bring me joy to see, and i enjoy writing and plotting with you so much. stay warm and i hope you enjoyed a christmas market! (next year when i go back, NEXT YEAR)
@multipleoccupancy â caraaaaaaaaa! no matter what you set your mind to on your multi or elsewhere, you do to perfection. it's been so lovely to write with you for so many years across so many genres and muses. our history threads will forever be my favorite!
@chokethelight â you you you, we haven't been able to write much this year, but whenever you pop in to say hello, or whatever version you decided to use that time, you bring a smile to my face! i hope 2023 is a better year for you. <3
@stillsails â i'm so glad to see you around again on tumblr! you've had so much happen!! i am so so so proud of/happy for you for all your accomplishments and milestones this year! keep being the lovely academic and wonderful writer you are.
@fasciinating â listen, whatever we're working on brings me much joy, and the friendship that spock and jaina are building is just lovely. plus, i've really enjoyed the headcanons you've written for that challenge, let alone your beautiful art!
to all those i really love writing and talking with but also hope todo more with this coming year:
@paramounticebound @gurrillero @fifthbornforrester @lunascientia @rubiesintherough @protectxthem @caedus @kylo-wrecked @keeve-trenniis @jaigalorad @mandogold @hopegained @ncxile @reawakcn @theysparked @becomelions @fatedtruths @vuulpecula @conniidel @withoutpeer @skjebne and everyone i inevitably missed, have the happiest of new years!
#︲ ooc Âť has needleâ will costume...#i've had a week... so instead of building up 90% of this over more than a week#i did the majority of this this morning so#apologies for anyone i missed again and also that messages are shorter than i'd like#i literally couldn't tag any more people without the editor glitching out......
37 notes
¡
View notes
Note
đ¤ đ§Ąđ§đ˝ââď¸for being a badass with a good heart, have a pair of fangs to bite your favorite mutuals! đ§đ˝ââď¸đ§Ąđ¤ (Pass it on to your favs)
Hello, Em!!
Okay, it seems I have to write something about this Halloween, right?
So here's my small gift <3
"Seriously, why did both of you join the hunt? Didn't the noble and the royals would be the ones sitting in their office and demanding hunters?"
"It's your stereotype, James. Besides, it's fun to hunt those ghosts."
Bucky tsked
"Yeah, I forget you are also a Sorcerer and your biggest habit is luring those poor souls to become your slaves."
"How rude! It's win-win, I offer them a place and they work for me."
"And what about you, prince? Why did you join this even when the queen her highness crying and begging you don't come?"
The prince just shrugged
"I'm the heir to the throne, it's my duty to know what happened in this kingdom. Hunt is one of them, so of course, I need to join at least once."
Bucky sighed and gave them knives, a ghostwriting book, and some smudge Sticks.
"Alright, I would be the one to call the ghosts, Charles is the one to check the book, and sir, you need to light the sticks if you see the salt melt. Got it?"
They both nodded before all three of them enter the mansion.
What's happened?
Bucky opened his eyes and found something wrong.
"Awww, you wake up, handsome..." A thrilled woman's voice sang beside him.
He tilted his head and a pure white fabric covered his eyes. He feels somethingâor someone, touched his face with their cold fingers. Bucky shivered and cocked his head, trying to find his teammates.
Well, Charles was cornering a trembling ghost and whispered to them.
"Come on, my fair lady. It's not as terrible as you think. Just sign the contract so you don't need to stay in this cold and lonely house anymore."
The ghost lady shook her head and try to be transparent but was stopped by the Sorcerer's magic.
The Sorcerer closed their distance and slowly moved off the white fabric, he leaned down his head and gave the poor soul a cold, sweet kiss. Then he took a black ring from his pocket and put it on her finger before he whispered some spells and kissed the ring.
"Finally got you, my little ghost."
Bucky chose to let the Sorcerer has his fun and turned to seek the prince.
"So you're the prince in this kingdom? Then why are you here? It's not a good place for someone like you." The ghost said while she lit the room.
"I am here to say this mansion is in my territory, and you are also my people, you can't haunt this house and murder my other ones."
"But we didn't kill, we just scared them so they would leave us alone. Only some weirdos try to summon the demons or evils so they invaded this mansion and murdered their 'sacrifice'. It's not our fault!"
"Weirdos? The cults? Did they succeed? And they still here?"
Bucky could see the ghost made a '= =' face and the wind breeze.
"No, we chased them away and stop the ritual, it's our last place to stay and we would never leave unless you find a better one for us."
She continued before the prince parted his lips.
"And the palace is not a good place, so give me other options."
"Oh, I thought my room is a good one...but I could understand."
The ghost lady giggled and spun around.
"Never choose the palace, it's just a huge golden cage."
"Then how about my necklace? Could you leave it in there?"
The prince showed the golden necklace he wears all the time.
"It's from my mother and it's my precious. It does not belong to royalty but a son who loves his mother. I learned that an item which has been put enough love and miss could be the vessel for the soul."
The ghost lady frowned
"If that is really so important to you, then why will you offer that to me? I'm just a nobody. A ghost who already forgive her name a long time ago."
"Because I know the feeling try to find a home in which you belong to."
Hesitate, and the ghost lady nodded eventually.
They held hands while closing their eyes and praying to the moon. Then the ghost lady disappeared before the golden round pendant emerge on a woman's face.
"Wow! We did it! And this place is so comfy, thank you, Sir."
Her chirped voice made the prince grin.
"See enough?" The cold voice spoke again and pulled Bucky's attention back. Her beautiful eyes sadden when the hunter didn't speak anything.
"You are the one to capture me, right? Did you bring the lantern?"
Bucky stared at the ghost who nearly break into tears, and he took the lantern while murmuring:
"I'm gonna be the fool, punk. Wish me the best."
She bowed her head and let the lantern draw her soul.
When the lamp lit the small gold and blue fire. Her voice showed up again.
"Huh? Why? Did someone hear me? Hello?"
"Yeah, we all hear, this is the special lantern for the good soul. But you have to help me capture or eliminate more evils to retain the lantern's power."
"That...thank you! I don't know what to say, but thank you!"
"Oh, I'm not the best to deal with women's tears. Hey, hey! just save your tears, okay? You should laugh more...of course, in a good way."
"Thanks, Bucky. I appreciate that."
"How did you...ugh never mind." Bucky patted the lantern tenderly
"So...let's go home."
#nana's friends#nana's ask box#halloween drabbles 2022#bucky barnes x reader#charles blackwood x reader
10 notes
¡
View notes
Note
Hello !
I was wondering whether you could rate and tell us of your top 5 favourite webnovels/cnovels of all time ?! (Sorry if this has already been answered lolđ
)
Thank you, stay safe and have a nice dayđ¤
Awww, thank you and that is such a lovely ask!!!
From n1 to n5, here they are (they happen to be all danmei.)
1. The Husky and His White Cat Shizun (2ha) - my n1 forever and ever.
Taxian Jun, the horrific cultivation emperor of the world who razed cities and destroyed sects, is surrounded on his mountain. The righteous sects are terrified to confront him but tired of living, Taxian Jun consumes poison and dies by suicide at the age of 32. And opens his eyes as 16 year old Mo Ran, Mo Ran long before he became Taxian Jun, Mo Ran who is excited at a chance to save the one person he loved and lost. Oh, and to deal with his loathed shizun, the unapproachable and strict Chu Wanning, his past lifeâs biggest enemy.
I have no idea if itâs objectively the best on this list but it hits every trope I love, its bleak worldview (the world will change only incrementally but thatâs enough, average person will not appreciate the sacrifice but itâs still worthwhile, and love is worth everything) mirrors mine, and the sheer complexity of the plot and cascade of plot twists each of which is insane and yet completely logical, is amazing (this is a rare novel where itâs even more fun to reread than read for the first time because you keep seeing all the hints and trail crumbs laid out that you did not see the first time.)
And the characters!!! I mean, this novel has multiple universes/timelines, a side trip to the Underworld AND the demon realm, a plot more twisted than a storeâs worth of pretzels and yet the thing that hits me the most are the characters. Mo Ran is my favorite web novel character of all time and I love Chu Wanning so. All the secondary characters are wonderfully written (and some of them made me bawl) and they are all complex. My opinion of all of them changed many times over; the novel doesnât make it easy to love some of them but then you do and itâs so worthwhile! That slow change is one of the delights of the novel - I started out disliking the unpleasant, superior Chu Wanning and cruel, callow Mo Ran and then I loved them so so hard and cried for them so so hard and was in awe of their heroism and sacrifice and selflessness and capacity to love.
Oh, and the fact that this novel does something almost impossible - it has its protagonist start out as so clearly irredeemable and then slowly and painfully and thoroughly redeems him (without ever letting the reader forget what it is he needs redemption for.)
Also, for a novel that made me cry so hard I felt ill, this book is just so damn funny with the most sarcastic sense of humor imaginable (the serious angst doesnât even kick in until 90+ chapters!)
Anyway I should stop or I will write a dissertation. But this is the one web novel that I would put in my top 5 not just web novels but any novels in any shape or form. The plentiful trigger warnings are there for a reason so stay away if they are an issue, but if not, if anyone hasnât read it yet, what are you doing with your life?!
2. Stains of Filth (Yuwu) - another novel by the author of 2ha. Clearly she just pushes all my buttons every time. This one is much shorter and has a plot that is twisty but less twisty than 2ha. Still, all that means is that intensity and the pain are more concentrated.
Aristocratic Mo Xi and former slave Gu Mang were both legendary generals of the empire and lovers. But Gu Mang betrayed the country and switched to the enemy. Now he is back as a peace offering by that country and Mo Xi has to deal with the fact that his feelings are as strong as ever.
This novel!!! So much pain and intensity!!! So many amazing plot twists and supporting characters. The same bleak world view, the same unjust society, the same protagonists doing right things despite the cost. Mo Xiâs intensity and inability to let go (heâs imprinted on Gu Mang and thatâs it) is romantic, bone-shakingly intense, and tragic all at once. And oh Gu Mang! So many times I just wanted to reach into the book physically to protect him. The novel deals with unjust societies, memory versus personality, what itâs like to be good in a bad universe etc. And it both made me sob and giggle, repeatedly, and sold me on literally death-defying (but not honor-defying!) love.
Oh, and special shout out to the fact that like 2ha, you may start out hating some characters and end up a rabid fangirl (cough Murong Lian!)
3. Qiang Jin Jiu - a dense political tome that takes a while to get going but then itâs a runaway train.
In a fictional dynasty, Shen Zechuan, the only remaining son of a disgraced aristocratic family and Xiao Chiye, the younger son of a family of generals guarding the border join forces (and then something else) to get power and pull down the dysfunctional system.
This is so elegant and smart (a rare web novel Iâd recommend to anyone who just loves solid period fiction) and you probably need a notebook to keep track of the politics and military strategy. These characters are very very smart not just because the author says so.
As to the characters, there is a large cast and I love many of them, but for me the novel is made by Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye. SZC is gorgeous and delicate and icy and can kill you before you have time to blink. Saddled with the sins of the family he had no pleasant interaction with, he claws his way out of hell (seeing the sinkhole he was trapped in, literally as well) to take down those who wronged him but also to amass power so all the tragedy and corruption wonât happen again and the whole rotten system comes crashing down. XCY is a military genius who is trapped as a hostage in the capital because the court doesnât trust his family. He longs to return to the plains of home and to take his rightful place. The two men start out as bitter enemies, then reluctant and sniping allies, then as friends and eventually as one of the most gorgeous, tender, swoony OTPs.
Anyway this is one is a bona fide masterpiece, equal parts smart and emotionally intense.
4. Wu Chang Jie - are you an emotional vampire? I am and this novel is a banquet.
In a highly fantastical setting, we meet our protagonists - the sunny Xie Bian and the intense and surly Fan Wushe. Xie Bian is a human who assists his master in conveying souls to the underworld and making sure no mishaps happen. Bian is concentrated sunshine in human form and to meet him is to love him. When the novel opens, his drunk master brings back another human to be his shidi and assist with duties - said human is uncommunicative, intense and surly Wushe. Bian is excited to have a shidi but little does he know that a story dealing with the horrors of past lifetime is about to start.
Anyway, why WCJ? So many reasons. It has such a dark bleak worldview - this world is a horrifying system where powerful cannibalize each otherâs cores for an impossible chance to ascend, where gods have sealed off their realm and all thatâs left is neverending human misery and hell (the only way youâd see a deity is if theyâd been sent down to suffer over and over and over), where even reincarnation doesnât fix things and bad acts are often unpunished. And the novel then asks - is it worth being a good person in such a world? More, is it worth being a good person in such a world when nothing good has ever happened to you and you have been repeatedly betrayed due to your goodness? And the answer, on Bianâs part, is an uncompromising yes.
Ah yes, the other reason to love this novel - the protagonists and their fucked up fucked up relationship. Bian (who was Prince Ziheng in the past life) is so genuinely good. But he is that rare thing - good but not saintly, noble but not cloying. So much of the novel is his getting taken apart over and over and barely able to put himself back together every time but his soul is still as amazing as ever.
And then there is Wushe (who was Prince Zixiao in past life, Zihengâs not-bio-related brother.) Wushe is not a good person. He is a monster. And he loves Bian/Ziheng more than his life and his soul and the entire world but heâs also the one who hurt him more than anyone else ever could and did it over and over. His love survived a literal century of torture in the worst kind of hell and refused the usual memory loss of new life. But it also humiliated and broke Ziheng down to his constituent parts.
One of the things that is so fascinating to me about this novel is the question of what can be forgiven/what should be forgiven/what kind of expiation is enough/can you ever love someone who you loved so much and then he hurt you so badly and is now repentant? And it never sweeps trauma under the rug or hand waves it away but deals with it head on.
If you want healthy relationships, you should stay far away from this novel but if intense insane ones with a feral barely human one capable of destroying the world leashed by love and guilt to the sane deeply good one is your bag, come right in.
There is also the world building and the fact that yes, the big fall out between Ziheng x Zixiao is based on not knowing all the facts but itâs not âwhy canât you talk?! This is dumb!â But is totally in keeping with both events and their characters. Itâs reasonable for Ziheng to do what he does and for Zixiao to misunderstand and decide Ziheng is now his biggest enemy (but still one heâs fixated on) and for Ziheng to never be able to clarify.
Anyway, once again this is trigger warning central so please heed those, but if they are no issue, this one is wonderful.
5. OK, this is hard and switches between Sha Po Lang, Heaven Officialâs Blessing and The Golden Stage depending on my mood. So what the hell, I am gonna write about all of them.
Sha Po Lang - so smart and so much clever world building. There is enough politicking to satisfy a Qiang Jin Jiu fan, itâs steampunk, and our two protagonists - Gu Yun, the empireâs most powerful general, whoâs loyal to the empire despite being badly wronged by it, and Chang Geng, a cursed prince with barbarian blood and horrifying childhood - are wonderful separately and together. This is a huge slow burn but itâs totally worth it! They fall in love with each otherâs hearts and brains and ability as much as anything. (Yes, this is the one with the yifu thing. Gu Yun is made Chang Gengâs foster father when he rescues him and brings him back to the capital as a way to keep CG safe in imperial strife. They are 12 and 19 at the time so clearly itâs never a parental relationship.)
Heaven Officialâs Blessing (TCGF) - I love itâs sprawling narrative and cast, I love its inventive setting and picaresque story. Itâs hilarious and can make me cry. But the novelâs place on this list is due to Xie Lian who is part Kenshin part drama WWX part pure goodness wrapped in heartbreak and trauma wrapped in sunshine.
The Golden Stage - two smart and principled (yes, they both have principles different though they may be) men navigate their arranged marriage, their past friendship and their past break up, become a super couple (one of the healthiest danmei couples Iâve ever read and proves healthy doesnât have to be boring), save the country and bring down the emperor or two and just generally this is my rainy day book.
I guess I didnât write as much for the three n5 candidates as I did for 1-4 but my brain is beginning to curdle so...
#cnovel#heaven official's blessing#2ha#yuwu#sha po lang#qiang jin jiu#wu chang jie#the golden stage#tcgf#asks
296 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Old Flame: Pt. 15
Warnings: Cursing & a lil touch of NSFW
Word Count: 3371
OLD FLAME MASTERLIST: CLICK HERE
-
While this 7 hour road trip to Arkansas is taking place, you and Hayley offered many times to take over the wheel but Klaus did not budge. Heâs had his fair share of you and Hayley taking the wheel a few times in the past. Heâll never put himself through such horror again.
Other than that, Klaus has informed you of everything heâs learned from Finn so far. Youâve learned that Estherâs first born, Freya did not die from plague, but she was taken by Estherâs sister, Dahlia in exchange for Esther to be fertile. The thought made you sick to your stomach, but if it wasnât for Estherâs sacrifice, you would have never met Klaus.
That piece of information wasnât the last of it. Klaus mentioned that every first born in the Mikaelson family belongs to Dahlia and since Hope is still alive, you hope that Dahlia doesn't come after her too.
This family cannot catch a break.
As much as you tried to stay awake for Klaus, he insisted you get some rest and you did just that, leaning your head against the passenger side window. He reached his right arm over his head for his jacket that is sprawled over his seat and placed it over you as a makeshift blanket, careful to focus his eyes on the road at the same time.
Once you are fast asleep, Klaus couldnât help but steal a glance at your peaceful state. Outstretching his right arm, he rests his palm over your thigh, briskly caressing it with his thumb.
âYou really love Y/N, huh?â A very awake Hayley mentioned from the back seat behind him.
Klaus flickered his eyes at the rear view mirror, waiting a beat before responding. âSo it seems.â He sniggered lightly.
âHave you told her?â Hayley asked. After not receiving a response from him, she already knew his answer. âI think you should. I donât know anyone else on this planet that would put up with you the way that she does.â
âYour advice is touching.â Klaus hid his vulnerability with a sarcastic tone. Hayley sighed heavily, displeased that he was making a joke out of her serious advice. Â
(LaterâŚ)
It is now daylight when you, Klaus and Hayley pull up to a house that neither you nor Hayley have ever been to. It is a white two story home with dark brown shutters. Rebekah, Elijah and who you assume is Hope are standing outside, eager for your arrival.
Klaus wastes no time approaching the home and Hayley nearly jumps out of the back seat, rushing towards her daughter. Klaus follows suit and you take your time stepping out of the passenger seat in slow motion. Youâll never understand how much this mother and father missed their child so you kept your distance to allow them this moment with their daughter.
You walked over to Elijah and Rebekah. Rebekah welcomed you with open arms, reeling you in for a tight hug. âOh, Y/N.â Rebekah muttered, freeing you of her tight hold. âIâve missed you.â
âI missed you too, sis.â You smiled.
âHas Nik been giving you a hard time?â
You rolled your eyes playfully. âOf course.â
âHow about that dreadful friend of yours, Kai.â Rebekah flashed a look of disgust. âHas Nik killed him yet?â
You sighed, perturbed of the hereticâs whereabouts. âNo. I have no idea where he is. But your mother has something to do with it.â
âEsther?â She reeled back, shocked. âHow did this happen?â
âItâs a long story, Rebekah. Itâll bore you.â You chuckled faintly. She flashed a nervous smile at you, seeing right through your facade.
âY/N.â Nik interrupted, appearing beside you with Hope in his arms. You turned to face him, eyes widening at the beautiful infant before you. âThis is Hope.â He added.
âHi Hope.â Your mouth curved into a grin, raising your hand and Hope latches onto your finger, blue eyes staring into yours. You peer up at Klaus, whispering loudly. âSheâs beautiful.â You glanced from Klaus to Hayley who both approve of your sweet comment.
âShe is, isnât she?â Hayley mentioned to you in a calm tone, gazing at her daughter as she steals him from Klausâs arms. âCome here, sweetie.â
You started on helping Rebekah and the men gather wood for a bonfire right in front of the home. Klaus started informing his siblings about the whole mess of their Aunt Dahlia.
âSo is there any chance of us running into your psycho Aunt Dahlia soon?â You asked.
âFableâs over a thousand years old, sister.â Elijah responded, adding a piece of the wood to the neat pile, his sleeves folded up to his elbows. âDahliaâs long dead.â
âLike Esther?â Hayley added, setting her daughter inside the car seat that is on the ground beside Klaus.
âNo oneâs going to hurt Hope because no oneâs going to find her.â Klaus announced. âThatâs enough wood, Rebekah. Youâll burn down the whole bloody state of Arkansas.â
âWell, weâre just missing a key ingredient.â Rebekah pointed out, tone exuberant.
âNo, weâre not.â Klaus tensed up instantaneously. Your eyes narrowed, curious as to what the siblings are referring to.
âYes we are, Nik. Back me up, Elijah.â Rebekah gestured a nagging hand at the noble Mikaelson.
âI suspect Niklaus would rather choke on the ashes.â Elijah sniggered.
âWhat are you all talking about?â You asked, fed up with being out of the loop.
âWell, before we light it, we write down our wishes for each other to burn for good luck.â Rebekah answered. âIt was Kolâs favorite part when we were kids.â
âNeat.â You murmured.
âFurther evidence as to why we should ignore it.â Klaus mentioned with distaste.
âNik.â You nagged, bothered that heâs such a bully to his youngest brother.
âHopeâs first bonfire season. I like it. Weâre doing it.â Hayley remarked, turning on her heel as she waltzed inside the house. Klaus let out an exasperated sigh before picking up Hopeâs carrier and taking her inside with Elijah following behind him.
âNow Y/N,â Rebekah started once her brothers were no longer earshot, âtell me all about your time with my brother.â
You snorted, hands at hips. âWhere do I begin?â
(MeanwhileâŚ)
A moment after, Hayley writes down her wish. She folds the piece of paper and stuffs it inside her front pocket. Then, she grabs a notepad and goes after Klaus who is sitting at the dining table, playing with his daughter that heâs missed so much.
âHere.â Hayley said, placing the notepad on the table directly in front of him.
Klaus stole a glance at the dreaded notepad before bringing his focus back to Hope. âIâm holding a small child, Hayley. The silly wish game will have to wait.â
âYou write. Iâll hold.â She responded.
âYou do realize it is not I who is to be the husband you can boss around.â
âOh, right.â She shook her head slowly, as if coming to a realization. âY/N!â She called, briefly looking over her shoulder.
He narrowed his eyes before handing his daughter to her mother. âFine.â
Being confident as ever after talking Klaus into writing his wish, she was all smiles. âI wish you would tell Elijah youâre marrying your werewolf suitor,â Klaus mentioned as heâs writing, causing Hayley to come to a halt and frown, âat which point I would pour him a scotch and congratulate him on the bullet he dodged.â
Klaus rips the small sheet of paper off and hands it to Hayley with a smug. She snatched it from him, crumpled it in her hand and marched away with her daughter in her arm, evidently vexed.
You walked past Hayley before finding Klaus in the dining room. âHey Nik. Did you write down your wish?â You asked. He gestured for you to sit on his lap and you did so by sitting on his left leg, snaking your right arm around his neck.
âUnfortunately.â He replied with raised brows. âDid you?â
âOf course I did.â You said. Klaus stared at you silently with a specified expression that you can easily determine. âAnd no, Iâm not telling you my wish.â You are certain that if you tell him that you wish for Kaiâs safe return, his elated mood would quickly plummet and thatâs the last thing anyone wants right now. Especially you, since youâve had your fair share of arguments with him already.
âAlright, love.â He allowed this defeat. He suddenly pats on your behind as a gesture to stand. âCome now. Letâs get this bloody bonfire started.â His tone was far from excited.
After bringing everyone to the front, Rebekah rushes inside the house as Klaus starts throwing lit matches to the wood one by one, in no rush for this bonfire. Minute by minute, the flame grows and Rebekah finally makes her return with a fairly aged Polaroid in her hand. âHey, look what I found!â She mentioned with excitement, making her way to Hayley, Hope and Elijah who are standing at a fair distance from the flame. âI wonder if itâll work.â
As everyone looks to Rebekah, Klaus is the least excited about his sisterâs discovery. âOh, bloody hell.â He puts his hands to his hips and looks away from her. You couldnât help but giggle because you know how much Klaus dreads taking photos.
âCome on, letâs try. Hey Nik, do you think you can cram us into a selfie?â Rebekah walked over to the two you with everyone else following behind her. You thought it was adorable hearing the excitement in her voice.
âNiklaus is the virtuoso of cramming his siblings into confined spaces.â Elijah said snidely.
âElijahâs got a point.â You chimed, refraining yourself from laughing at his snarky comment.
âIâm so glad I traveled hundreds of miles to visit my mentally ill brother only to have him insult me to my face.â Klaus looks down at the Polaroid camera, prepping it as everyone squeezes together.
âCome on, just take the picture.â Rebekah spat.
Finally, Klaus straightened his arm and raised the camera so that itâs at the right angle. Then, he gives it a few seconds before he snaps a photo. Everyone waited a beat for the photo to unveil itself full of you, your beloved, his deranged siblings that you adore, the mother of his child and their daughter. To put it simply. Itâs a photo full of supernatural creatures. The majority mean the world to you. What an interesting combination.
To everyoneâs misfortune, the photo needed to be burned for Hopeâs safety. Klaus didnât want to risk this photo ending up in the wrong hands. And as much as it kills everyone, it had to be done. You managed to remember to throw your wish in the bonfire as well. Rebekah, on the other hand, had everyone elseâs attention. She was fed up and decided that she wants to do whatever it takes to take Esther down.
As everyone retreats inside, you remain put, staring at where that little piece of paper once was. You reach into your front pocket and dial Kaiâs cell phone again, even though itâs a long shot. Frustrated with this loss, you continue calling his phone over and over again until you couldnât handle hearing his obnoxious voicemail. âGod dammit.â You whispered in frustration, staring up at the sky, shaking your head. âWhere the hell are you, Kai?â
The flame is now dying down, so you made your way inside, following the Mikaelsonâs voices. It seems they are forming a plan to defeat Esther.
After going over the very specific plan with them with a wine glass of blood in your hand, you took a much needed shower in an en-suite bathroom of your choice, then threw a robe on while your clothes are in the washer.
Stepping out of the laundry room, you go back inside the en-suite bathroom and comb your wet hair, freeing it of any knots. The sound of familiar footsteps approach, followed by the creaking of the door opening. âShowering?â You asked Klaus.
âIt seems you did without me.â He smirked, freeing himself of his dark long sleeve to reveal his flawless physique. You made sure to steal a glance at him as you continued to brush through your strands.
âThatâs too bad.â You answered lightheartedly.
âIndeed it is.â He added, eyeing you hungrily. He caught you off guard when he whooshed towards you and spun you to face him. You gasped at the gesture, hairbrush falling to the ground, awaiting his next move.
You peered up at the lust in his eyes, nipping at your bottom lip. In one brisk move, you are placed over the counter behind you and he leans down, pressing his plump lips onto yours, tongue swirling inside of your needy mouth.
You are his and he is yours. The thought alone made your entire being burst with elation. Your heart was beating so wildly as you wrapped your legs around him to bring him closer to you, feeling him harden by the second.
His hands began making its way to your cheeks all the way down to the knot of your robe, lips never detaching from yours.
Before you knew it, your robe was untied and you were completely naked on the bathroom counter. You were so caught up in this ravenous moment that you hadnât realized you were naked until he stroked your breasts. The sinful gesture alone made you pool with desire down below.
Klaus separated his lips from yours and silently went on his knees, throwing your legs over his shoulders. He licked his upper lip, gazing up at you. âWet, are we?â Klaus mentioned before starting on his meal.
You.
(LaterâŚ)
After a much deserved nap and a cup of coffee, the sun will soon disappear and the moon will make its appearance. You, Rebekah and Klaus hit the road back to New Orleans. Surprisingly, Klaus didnât drive this time since heâs hardly had any rest, so he had Rebekah take over.
âYou remember the plan, love?â Klaus asked you from the back seat.
âYes I do.â You assured him casually, scrolling through your phone to cure your boredom. Youâve only heard the plan a million times before leaving Arkansas.
âDo you know what to do, Rebekah?â He asked his sister.
âYes. But if it doesnât go to plan, will you handle my body with care please?â She pouted. âI may miss the old model.â
âOf course we will.â You chimed in, peering at Rebekah for an ephemeral time before bringing your focus back to your phone.
âIf everything goes south, iâll be there to pull you out.â The hybrid stated. âWe just have to take Esther down before she body-jumps. I donât want all of this to have been for nothing.â
âYou and I on the same team, Nik. It must be Christmas.â Rebekah added. Klaus responded with a grin before getting some shut eye during this prolonged car ride.
(LaterâŚ)
As soon as you touched down in New Orleans to the Mikaelson compound, you stretched your limbs and wandered inside. Cami, Marcel and Davina were gathered together in the courtyard, prepping for a spell. You shot them a glance before making a beeline for the grand kitchen because you were absolutely famished. Klaus had a quick word with Kol before Kol and Rebekah headed over to their motherâs current living quarters. It was an urgent step for the plan and everyone was in on it besides Esther and Finn.
Many minutes later, Klaus received a text from Rebekah and the two of you drove off into the night to the Lafayette cemetery, careful not to make too much noise before approaching them.
It wasnât difficult to locate where Esther, Kol and Rebekah were in this large cemetery. All you had to do was follow the only illuminated area as well as use your vamp hearing. âMother, think this through. You gave birth to this body. You canât destroy it.â You heard Rebekah plead.
âI am only destroying its flesh. Your beautiful soul will live on in the body of another. I have chosen well for you. A beautiful girl. Strong.â Esther attempted to justify her actions, tone confident. You hid behind one of the nearest tombs.
âMother!â Klaus shouted, standing tall above another tomb. âStop the spell.â He dashed to the ground, taking long strides towards the trio. âYou and your traitorous son.â
âNik, I didnât know anything about it. I swear.â Kol expressed.
âOh good. Iâm glad you two boys are friends again.â Esther said, pleased. âI did wonder what youâd been up to in your time away. Now I know.â
âStop the blasted spell.â Klaus demanded.
âIâm afraid thatâs impossible.â
âAnything is possible. Take me instead.â Your brows furrowed at Klausâs offer. You donât recall him mentioning that. Though instead of dwelling on it, you stayed put until you were needed. You didnât want to risk screwing up the plan. You hoped that he was just saying it to stall Esther.
âNik, no!â Rebekah grasped his forearm.
âIf only youâd taken my offer when it was still mine to give.â Esther blurted. âUnfortunately, you left me no choice but to make a deal with Mikael.â
âMikael?â You mouthed to yourself, face contorting as youâre taken aback from the news. You completely forgot about him being alive in general, but the fact that the parents are teaming together doesnât sound too great.
âWhen Finn and Kol went missing, I needed a new ally. All he wanted was the right to kill you.â Esther expressed. âKol, I would ask you to deliver the stake to your father, but it seems your loyalties have been compromised.â
You tighten your grip around the white oak stake in your hand and your nostrils flared as youâre ready to pounce on Esther. In a flash you saw Klaus step towards your direction as if he was just casually pacing from exasperation. You were still undetected by Esther, so Klaus quickly winked at you before turning on his heel and shifting his expression back to an aggravated one. So far itâs selling.
âStop the spell, Esther!â Klaus roared.
âItâs okay, Nik. I can do this.â Rebekah implied.
âSo youâre feeling murderous again.â The mother spat, displeased. âYou should know, Iâve already chosen another body.â
âNow!â Kol hollered and that was your cue.
Finally.
You whooshed towards Esther and stabbed her in the neck with the white oak stake. She looked at you with wide eyes as the blood poured down the new wound. You sighed in satisfaction, taking in the win. All went according to plan.
The sound of the witch bowl exploding into pieces near Kol at a distance and Klaus calling his sisterâs name snapped you out of your victory. Looking over your shoulder, you find a passed out original sister in the arms of her older brother.
âUh, did it work?â You flickered your eyes from Klaus to Kol for a response.
âI donât know.â Klaus replied. âKol, would you? I need to bring mother inside.â He gestured for Kol to hang onto Rebekah and he obliged. Klaus effortlessly threw his mother over his shoulder and escorted her body inside one of the sizable tombs. You learned from Kol that itâs spelled so that she cannot escape.
Klaus mustâve forgotten that Kol isnât as strong as he is in his original body because he was slightly struggling to keep Rebekah on her feet. You came to his aid and threw her other arm over your shoulder, placing the white oak stake in your back pocket.
âSister.â Kol called to you in a low tone, as if not wanting to be heard from Klaus. You hummed, notifying him that youâre all ears. âIâve gotten mother to tell me your friendâs current placement.â
âYou did?â Your head snapped to Kol, eyes widened, speaking in a loud whisper. âIs he alive?â
âYes.â You exhaled in relief from his response. âBut Iâll tell you more once weâre at the compound.â
âThank you.â You mouthed to Kol who glimpsed at you, then to the ground. After days and nights of waiting, youâre finally going to get your answer.
-
A/N: So sorry to leave you guys on that cliffhanger! But it had to be done :) Thank you all for sticking with me and Iâll see you lovelies in the next chapter!
TAGS: @ynm1505 @ravenmoore14@xdontxcare @seasiren96@anyasthoughts @woodworthti666 @agentmarvel13@miss-lumiere@elizabeth-ann1090 @physically-a-cheesecake@azhar1422 @morsmornte @retrocontessa @kollover24 @thewolf-and-thesheep @xoxoaudreymarie @dezzym17@siphonersalvatore @yolobloggers @akshi8278 @simonsaysyasss @eggingamazinglove @brooklymw @baseballbitch116 @hyperion-moonbabe @iamjustaslytherinrose @lillianeh879  @hannahzlee @bokettolove @gangofhoes @sashimi-cat @marvel-ousnesss @deathkat657 @rauwz @star-adorned @bobamilqtea @lunareclipse-e @krazykatkay456 @geeksareunique @hybridgirl99 @romyislief @psychicwinnerstranger @catchmeupimgettingoutofhere @derangedcupcake @yaniiie @classyunknownlover @britty443 @mockingjayd12 @ophellis @prospathww @the-specific-oceans @riverdaleserpent04 @bank-of-rubytowne @ballet-royale @sunflowersandsins @fakebeech @alka16555 @allllzcatt-blog @hyperion-moonbabe-art3mis @its4everjenny @mikaelson-emma @lilulo-12 @unhappy-hannah @hookedtoherfire @smol-quackson @hxppy-ghxst @ivarthegoddess @nick-1432â @simonsbluee @0moonlightthoughts0 @proudjaden @lalunasuenos @blonddnamedhandz @princekooks @supernatural-swiftie08 @2kayla64 @hernameisnoellex3â @grim91103 @asusualitasterin @un-namedstalkerâ @a-who-eâÂ
#klaus#klaus mikaelson#klaus x reader#klaus imagine#klaus fluff#klaus mikaelson series#klaus mikaelson imagine#klaus mikaelson x reader#elijah mikaelson#elijah mikaelson imagine#elijah mikealson x reader#rebekah mikaelson#rebekah mikaelson imagine#rebekah mikaleson x reader#kol#kol x reader#kol imagine#kol mikaelson x reader#kol mikaelson#kol mikaelson imagine#hayley marshall#hayley marshall x reader#hayley marshall imagine#old flame#the originals#the vampire diaries#vampire diaries#tvd#joseph morgan#daniel gillies
244 notes
¡
View notes
Note
I'm back with another fluff prompt: Steven does one of those back-of-the-hand kisses while they're on a date and Connie tries to roast him for it, but can't, because she's a fantasy nerd so she was into it too.
a fantasy AU
----------------------
Connie knew that the Prince of the Crystal Empire was going to come around today. After all, the princess of Delmarva attended her university, and princes were supposed to spend their days pursuing princesses. She hadnât meant to pay any attention to the affairs of royals, so she had taken her studies to the lawn.
At the sound of hooves, her studies were interrupted. She sprung to her feet, a textbook clutched to her chest as a horse thundered her way and pulled to a noble stop.
Well. Sheâd assumed a horse.
She whispered a word that one should probably not say in the presence of royalty, because as sure as the sun was hot a unicorn stood before her. Pink and pink and pink again - from its hooves to the tip of its long, spiraled horn. It made a sound which was quite horsey, and flashed teeth which were very much not. Again she whispered some unsavory words at the thought of a horse with a horn and teeth like a predator.
âSorry for spooking you,â the man said. He dressed fancy enough to be a royal, all pink and poofy with a cutout on his belly to show off a magic gem. So, surely this was the prince. âI donât know if Iâm supposed to be here.â
âNo, itâs fine.â She gestured to the lawn as she struggled to settle her nerves. âItâs here for everyone. Me. You. Unicorns.â
His nose wrinkled up. âHeâs actually a lion under a spell. Pearl thought it would be more, um... Princely?â
His voice quirked up, and he looked horribly awkward, so she sighed and shook her head, trying to keep a laugh in her voice. âSorry to tell you this, but the student handbook says no lions allowed. True unicorns only.â
He smiled. Stars, that was a cute smile. It really wasnât fair to be powerful and wealthy and handsome - you should have to sacrifice at least one of those things to get the other two. He said, âThatâs a really specific rulebook for a place with no magic.â
She giggled. âThey heard you were coming and made some new rules.â
He slid off his lioncorn, and immediately looked less regal for it. Well, that was good. He had a sense of humor so he had to lose something to balance it out. He gently took her hand, brushing his lips across her fingers like a gentleman, then asked, âWhatâs your name, my lady?â
How unbelievably stupid. Her mouth tried to find the words to tease him for it - he wasnât her prince, after all, and she was under no obligation to humor any romantical notions. Instead, she found herself oddly flustered by it, and words floundered on her tongue as she found herself struck with the fantastical nature of it all.
For heavenâs sake. Sheâd come to school for law.
âConnie,â she managed, trying to pretend she hadnât squeaked. âYouâre Steven, right?â
âYeah!â He laughed. âWant to come exploring with me?â
She blinked. âI think youâre confused. Iâm from a family of doctors and soldiers. Iâm not who youâre here to see.â
âYouâre the first person who hasnât called me prince.â He shrugged and smiled once again. âSounds like someone worth seeing.â
And, stupidly, she blurted, âIâm an anti-royalistâ to a prince.
But he giggled, and climbed back up on his not-unicorn, and held out his hand. âMe too. Come on, I think I saw some cool waterfalls around here.â
Her arms were full of books. Law books. No fantasy story worth its salt ever had someone with an interest in law. You didnât write stories about lawyers - not the kinds that were very nice to lawyers, at least. Girls who liked politics were hardly allowed to have romantic, fantastic adventures.
And yet soon her arms were empty, and her hand was outstretched to his.
114 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Hey @pinyappleâ! Iâm your Secret Cupid! Here I am jumping from the horse into the last wagon of the event train:D I hope that the story is interesting, and youâll enjoy it! @rdr-secret-cupidâÂ
Pairing: John Marston\f!Reader Warnings: fluff\angst&comfort\a hint of smut - 3in1: a little bit of this and that Words: 3434 (picture is not mine \ credits to the author)
âMorning, my dear girl,â said your father when you approached a big wooden table in the middle of the kitchen. âGood morning, dad,â you smiled, sleepily rubbing your eye.
It was a Saturday morning and today you woke up exceptionally late, about 1pm.
You were living on a small farm with your father. It was located a few miles away from the nearest town and it wouldâve taken a half an hour to ride there.
You loved to take an old Travis the horse from the stable and ran away where the sun was waking up early. You liked to dream about travelling, adventures and far lands in the shadow of a big tree not very far from your house.
âIâve been in town this morning,â said your father. âDid you? You never told me that you were going to. How was the ride? Everything was fine?â âYes, sure. I saw Mrs. Anderson. She sent her regards.â âOh, I appreciate that, thank you,â you smiled at him.
Mrs. Anderson was a nice woman who had a small flower shop and always gave you some flowers when you attended the town.
âI will drop in during the next visit,â you said while making yourself tea and sliced some more bread. âThatâs what Iâd like to hear!â, he replied.
Mr. (y\second name) was conservative when it came to the questions of manners. You were always expected to be a polite girl from a good family and you definitely were. But the young blood always desires venture. May it be caused by the stars location or chaotic decision of capricious gods, but something led you to the meeting with a man called John Marston on that fateful evening.
You opened the newspaper which was on the corner of the table and looked through some articles before you turned to your father.
âDad? I wanted to go for a walk tonight. I heard that this evening will be special and the starfall must be observable from our part of the world!â âWhat do you say!â âYes! I heard it from Mr. Douglas a week ago.â âYou want to go out alone at night? You are a grown up lady and itâs not my privilege to tell you what to do, but donât you think itâs a dangerous idea? Thereâre criminal elements in this area, you know that." âOh donât worry papa, I wonât be alone. I arranged to get together with our former sheriffâs elder son. He likes astronomy, do you remember that?â âSure I do,â - he kept silent for some moment then said, - âWell. I think I can agree on that.â
Sheriffâs elder son was a man in his early forties and was married to a town girl and had already earned himself time to do astronomy, so there was nothing to worry about. Of course, getting such an alibi was a bold action, because if your father decides to ask about observing the stars, just from the point of good manners, the truth will be brought to the light. Your actual plan was to meet with John today. You also wanted to discuss a family dinner. The truth was that none of them knew about it - thatâs why you were feeling a little nervous about the upcoming meeting. You wanted to introduce John to your father, but he always wanted you to unite for life with a noble young man from a prospective family, occupied in, letâs say, sales. Somehow you and John could hide your relationship for more than a year. His lifestyle, his bonds with the gang were making you question the possibility of your fine peaceful life together one day. And the fact that Mr. Marston never protested against these dreams of yours, was inspiring a warm feeling in your heart.Â
âSo when do you want to leave?â âAround half past nine, it must be almost dark.â âYou sure you donât want me to escort you there?â âNo-no, thereâs no need for such sacrifice,â you giggled. Your dad gave you a delicate smile and sipped from his cup.
*** There was nowhere to rush now, when the father approved your little prairie voyage, so the rest of the day you spent in the garden behind the house. The territory of the ranch was quite big but the main part of your property rendered suitable land for agriculture. A small piece of it was gifted to you in order to plant flowers there. A lot of seeds were bought from Mrs. Anderson's, and sometimes you even brought her some of your own for sale. Roses of any kind and size, some tiger lilies and peonies- that all made your flower garden look great.
The closer to the time, the more excited you were. You dressed in a shirt and trousers with boots, with a thin fur jacket - for the night ride it was the best option - and took a creamy pink rose to put it in your hair once you are beyond the fence. You went down to find your father and say him goodbye.
âDad, you here? Iâm leaving!â
You looked into the living room, expecting to see him there with a book or at the table, writing another business letter, but it was empty. Then she heard a noise from the second floor and saw your father on the staircase.
âAlready going?â âYes, itâs high time. Iâll do my best to come back before dawn!â âWhat are you doing to your old man, young lady!â he laughed, making his way down the stairs to give his daughter an embrace. âDonât worry, I will be fine, I promise. Please, you should think about your heart, papa,â you smiled widely, hugging him in an answer. âBe careful, my dear.â âI will,â you waved with your hand.
*** You almost approached the meeting point, when you felt your horse getting worrisome and saw the skies turning dark quickly. Rains in this area were starting as fast as they finished and you could only wonder âwhy now?â. Deep dark heavens didnât condescend to the answer, so you just rubbed your legs in disappointment and continued riding to find a hideout before the first raindrops. You purposely avoided the Thieves Landing, so there were not many placed to hide from the rain on her way. During your and John's last meeting some days ago you decided to meet in the woods in West Elizabeth where there was a perfect spot upon the cliffs to watch the grand river from a distance, where not a single soul could disturb them.
Suddenly she heard a horse neighing then she saw a rider coming from behind the hill. At first you were dismayed as you didnât have any weapon, but a moment later you recognized a familiar figure.
âHey, sweetheart, isnât it dangerous for such a pretty lady to ride alone at night?â then a low laughter followed.
When Johnâs horse got closer, you couldnât help but resent:
âYou scared the hell out of me! I thought it was a gangster who tracked me down.â âWell, actually I am a gangster, you see!â
As he hoped, your frustration was softened by his silly joke. It always gave him a warm feeling, because his sense of humor left a lot to be desired, but you always found it funny.
His horse drew level with yours, and he leaned down to kiss you, grinning when he saw how modestly you hid your smile.
âOh no, y\n, do not hide this beautiful smile from me!â
You raised your head and looked at the man. His hand reached out to you and gently touched your chin, leaving a deep kiss on your lips.
âHow was the road? Got without troubles?â asked John, picturing the way from the ranch to this point in his head. âAs long as troubles donât follow me - itâs fine by me. Why?â âItâs nothing really. On the way here I saw some gentlemen, heading west.â
John looked up in the sky and his eyebrows got together as he noticed how lightly you were dressed and how the sudden gust made your hair fly. âI know an old abandoned household not far from here. If we move right now, we can reach it before the storm.â
âI feel that something worries you.â âNo-no, thatâs totally fine,â he replied, taking a last look in the direction you came from.
After a while you finally reached the mansion that John was talking about. In real life it turned out to be bigger and more of a manor than âan old abandoned houseâ. Suddenly the skies split up in two by bright lightning, then a remote thunder hit your ears. You shuddered. What got into you? You were never afraid of thunder or darkness but this time something was scratching your heart with little iron claws.
You didn't notice that John had already dismounted, came over to you and put his hand on your leg, gently running it up and down.
âWe going? Or you prefer to stay under the rain?â âAh? Yeah,â with these words you tried to get down from the horse, only to end up in his arms, as he readily caught you up. You felt your heart beat faster against his chest, so you even wondered if he felt it or not, when you saw a dorky smile on his face.
âYouâre so beautiful,â he whispered. That, obviously, was not the most non-banal compliment, but he couldnât help but admire your features and the flower in your hair, which so perfectly accentuated the color of your eyes. John didnât let you stand on the ground and carried you all the way to the mansion.
When you entered the building, you stood on the floor and looked around. Tall walls were covered in old, almost destroyed by dampness, dull red wallpapers. You walked around the room and stopped next to the beautiful, probably, handmade sofa. John walked up to you and cuddled you from behind. His hand traced along your stomach and slid to your leg. You felt his warm breath on your neck. You turned around and kissed his jawline, moved up to the lips. He answered with a deep, passionate kiss. Then, with a sharp movement, he lifted you up and put you down, pinning down onto the couch.
*** âJohn?â âYeah?â his voice sounded low and lazy. âI need to tell you something.â âIâm all ears, sweetheart.â âDo⌠Do you love me?â you felt how your cheeks were becoming hot. You also realized how silly this may sound, but you couldnât take your words back.
John looked down at you lying on top of him and thoughtfully twirled a lock of your hair around his finger.
âOf course, princess. Whyâd you ask?â
You were not sure how to reply so you didnât rush to look in his eyes.
âYou remember my father? Mr. y\sn.â âIâve seen him in the town once. But never after that. Is that about him? Did anything happen?â âNo, everything is fine. I just wanted to ask if⌠Would you come for a family dinner tomorrow? Iâd introduce you to my fatherâŚÂť
He kept silent for a while. So you started to feel nervous and asked yourself why you even initiated that conversation. But then he answered:
âIâm not in my best shape to show up in higher society, you know..â
Again you looked up at him. Then smiled and gently touched his cheek, fingertips slowly stroking his fresh scars.
âI absolutely love your current shape, John.â
You felt him pressing you against his chest closer, rubbing a little invisible patterns on your bare back.
âIt would be a great pleasure to come, but⌠You sure your father would enjoy my company? Because Iâm not sure at all.â
Now it was your turn to make a pause.
He chuckled:
âLet it be.â âSo will you come tomorrow?â âIâll be there. I promise.â
The second you heard that, you felt like a huge rock got down from your shoulders, finally letting you breath.
You spent some more hours together in each other's embrace.
*** You were sitting on the doorsteps when you heard a noise from behind the barn. You didnât expect John to come so soon and also why he didn't choose an open road to the ranch. After a long talk your father agreed to have dinner all together, so there was no need to sneak. The next moment you saw two riders, coming around the corner, your eyes got wider. Suddenly you heard the sound of a cocked gun to your left and shuddered.
âHello, maâam. Mind if I come in?â
You looked at the source of the sound and saw a middle aged man with shirt red hair and a whisker. You never saw him before, but you had no doubt that he was some gang leader. His hazel eyes were looking cold at you and it seemed obvious that an argument was not an option - a weapon pointed at you was a thing to be scared of.
âMove,â he ordered.
Two riders who were supposed to divert attention got closer, and you recognised two customers from the shop a week ago. Their leader with a rifle repeated in low tone:
âGo.â
You followed the order without saying a word. Men entered the house after you.
âTie her up. I donât like her sight, and I donât want any surprise.â
Three more men entered the house and God knows how many of them left outside. One of the newcomers took off a rope and tied your hands up - you felt a slight pain caused by rough material.
âGood. And now, Mr.(y\sn),â he turned to your dad, âletâs talk.â The ginger man made an inviting gesture. You looked at your father and saw fear in his eyes, but he was acting totally cool and calm. Two men, standing next to the door, were holding rifles at the ready. Your dad nodded and went to the kitchen, followed by the ginger man.
You stayed alone in the living room, other gangsters were standing outside. You didnât hear the conversation and had no idea about the reason for this attack, so you focused on the rope. An attempt to get rid of it has proven unfruitful, so you looked around to find any tool.
When you were about to stand up and search the desk drawers, a loud shot rang out behind the window. You saw three gangsters running out from the kitchen, swearing and shouting curses. You carefully approached the window and looked out. A splash of bright red blood covered the window glass and you staggered back, breathing heavy and fast. You heard a familiar voice from the distance:
âDonât hide, cowards! Are you afraid of just one man?â taunting his enemies was so much like John.
You already started to worry - what if he would have changed his mind and would never showed up? You were happy that he appeared, and did it right in time. The sounds of battle continued unabated, and you thought that now was the best chance to get to the kitchen. The moment you were already next to the door your sight faced a dark shadow suddenly appeared in the doorway. You looked up and with a horror recognised the ginger man. You wanted to step away, but he grabbed you faster than you could blink.
âLet me go!â you tried to escape this tight grip but he was stronger.
You saw your father making an attempt to hit the bastard, but he didnât seem to even notice that. He turned around and knocked Mr.(y\sn) down on the floor with his revolver.
âYou son of a bitch! You will regret this!â you shouted at him. That was not a wise thing to do, but seeing him hurting your relative made you mad in a second.
âLanguage, lady,â the gangster chuckled, making an effort to hold you still, as you were kicking furiously, âRelax. I wonât hurt you,â his left, spare of a gun palm touched your cheek.
You were breathing heavily. âWhere are you, JohnÂť you thought. Another one shot rang out louder , and you heard a voice screaming curses. For seconds you couldnât hear anything from the outside. All outlaws were probably dead or wounded. But three gangsters were still inside the house - one behind the door corner, two others were next to the windows.
âCâmon, be a good girl,â said the gang leader and pulled you after him. Together you returned into the living room and the man stood behind a small purpur sofa, facing the doorway - the revolver at the ready. You couldnât see your father was sitting beneath the wall, holding his hand on the forehead, a thin blood line was going down the temple.
The sound of shooting was getting closer, you heard how two or three bullets hit the wall. If earlier the gang leader was a picture of self-confidence, now this confidence of his started fading away. You kept quiet just continuing to fidget slightly.
The minutes seemed endless but the voice ripped you out of your thoughts:
âHey mister, let the girl go. You donât want problems, believe me!â âWhat about you taking your cowboy ass out of here, now?â âIâll let you live if you free her.â âPut your weapon on the floor so I can see it and step inside. Or I'm gonna shoot this pretty face.â
John hesitated but then followed the order and put the rifle on the floor, slowly pushing it inside.
âIâm coming in. Donât shoot.â
You felt how the ginger man swallowed loudly. He was nervous. You saw John entering. His right hand was close to body, another one slightly aside, demonstrating that he was disarmed. The gangster revolver was following the cowboy as he was approaching. He said something else, but you already stopped listening. You didn't have time to think that it could be dangerous but suddenly you kicked him hard on the leg with the heel.
Then everything happened too fast. You didnât notice how John took out a gun with his right hand and shot right between the gangsterâs eyes.Â
âJohn!â
He rushed toward you, held your tied hands and hurried to untie them with his hands shaking.
âShh-shh, you are safe, y\n, you are safe now, everything is fine,â he whispered.
Once you were free, he pressed you against him tightly, burying his face in your hair. You crossed your hands behind his back.
âYou came!â âHow could I not come?â he looked down at you, cupping your cheeks, and kissed you gently.Â
You hardly kept a smile back. You two remained this way for a couple of minutes until your breath became calm and quiet. You were too overwhelmed with emotions that you didnât even see a bloody wound on his shoulder.
âOh no, your arm! You are hurt!â
âItâs just a scratch, baby,â he smiled at you, clumsily hiding a pleasure of you being so lovely and cute, and worrying that much about him. âLetâs help your dad,â said John and kissed your hand.
He stepped aside holding your hand in his and headed to the corridor. Your father was already back on foot and, when he turned to you, you saw an expression of relief on his face.
âOh, you are safe, my dear girl, thank God!â you ran towards the oldman and hugged him.
John was standing a couple of steps aside with his head slightly bent down and a faint smile on his lips, leaning on one leg, left hand on his side. Only now you noticed that he was dressed not casually, but as festive as possible.
Mr.(y\sn) looked at John and you saw respect in his eyes. He approached the cowboy and held out his hand in order to shake in gratitude.
âTo my knowledge, our hero must be John Marston,â he gave a fast glance in your direction, âyou saved our lives, young man. I can never thank you enough for that.â
John shaked your fatherâs hand with a friendly smirk.
âDonât worry, Mr.(y\sn). That was my duty to protect unarmed people from this bunch of bastards.â
âWell, donât you mind going to the kitchen? Everything was prepared an eternity ago. Do you like whiskey, Mr. Marston?â
You came a little closer to them to be a part of a talk too.
âSure, sir.â
Your father went away, and John softly touched your waist to let you go first.
#sorry for the late post#rdr secret cupid 2021#john marston#john marston x reader#red dead redemption
58 notes
¡
View notes
Text
reading one of the (too many) zines i have about folklore last night on the Lord of Misrule tradition in pre-modern England/Europe and started thinking about how it would be the perfect tradition for Joe/Nicky to start telling Nile about their participation in, and she canât tell to what degree theyâre being truthful and to what degree theyâre just bullshitting her for giggles. ANYWAY, i am not really fit to write this up as a proper fic, so here is my CONCEPT, do with it what you will:
Joe tells Nile a story about how one year in the 15th century, or whatever, he and Nicky were working in a noble household as servants for a while (IDK they were trying to decide what to do next and somehow it just happened) and somehow Nicky got elected Lord of Misrule for the festivities
Joeâs like, they always thought he was this meek man who would just go along with the festivities as always, lightly mocking the lord and his wife without causing any trouble... but Nicky isnât a mouse!
Nile: what did he... do? And Joe who is absolutely fucking with her looks off into the distance and is like, it was such an incredible scene... the real reason behind the peasantsâ revolt that started six months later...
Nicky, who has been patiently listening while he peels an apple with a knife and cuts off pieces to alternately eat himself or feed to Joe (they both eat the pieces directly off Nickyâs knife, which Nile thinks is gross) is like, wait
âI convinced Joe to wear a dress and be the Lady of Misrule. It was very sexy. Nobody cared at all. There was lots of wine.â
Joe is like, babe, they killed you when the festival is over and screamed when you came back to life, and then we had to skip town immediately
Nicky: The Feast of Fools often ended with a sacrifice. I donât think they killed me because I danced with you too much. If I recall you were Quite In Demand, you had many suitors.
Joe: but I only had eyes for you. In that hideous purple outfit, with the bells tied to your legs. I wanted to tear it all off you.
Nicky: you did, rememberâ
Nile: Ew, no thank you. Wait, youâre trying to make me believe they were carrying out pagan human sacrifices in Western Europe in the fifteenth century as part of Christmas celebrations? Please, I was not actually born yesterday
Andy, pretending to nap in the corner: pretty sure thatâs a case where they were so annoying someone just lightly stabbed them to make them go away.
#old guard#joe x nicky#kaysonova#not fanfic? just kind of noodling around in twitter DMs and then deciding to post them on here too?
23 notes
¡
View notes
Text
REPLIES TO RAJâS RECISION
@phoenixfgâ
This is very adult of them...I'm suspicious!!đ¤đ¤
I donât blame you for being suspicious...but Raj has always been very chivalrous when it comes to Mia! But he also may have other, less noble reasons...
@streetlightauroraâ
đđđ
@streetlightauroraâ
... Will he watch? đ
@sweetnovember77â
YES! đđž I live for people who take responsibility and accountability!âthe way my energy is set up. Mia you will appreciate it when you sober up
I really hope Mia sees it that way, lolol! And Rajâs reasons for not going through with the deed may not be 100% honourable...someone else is also in his thoughts.
@wannabecatwriterâ
This is a good thing though. They are both under the influence and even though they seem fine, I doubt they would've thought sleeping together in this state is a good idea.
Exactly, and Raj knows this, for a variety of reasons. Mia though Iâm not so sure about, lolol!
@muses-circleâ
Huh. This is not how I expected this to end. đ Is Raj just saying that? Does he mean it? Are we goi g to see some honest romantic moments sans alcohol between then at some point? Asking for a friend. đ
âHonest, romantic momentsâ...oh my!
He does mean it, and this is definitely not an end...itâs very much a beginning!Â
Also âasking for a friendâ always makes me giggle, lol!
@ktarsimsâ
I donât think Mia would have had any regrets, but... Raj is still going to be entertaining Cookie for a while, so even this far is a bit far at the moment. I donât think Raj would say that if he didnât actually mean it. Raj is like... heâs ruthless yes, and he might only obey the law if itâs convenient or necessary. But he does seem to genuinely try to lookout for the people around him.
Yes, Cookie is definitely in Rajâs thoughts. Thereâs only so much humiliation a girl can put up with, and Iâm sure that she would leave him if she thought he was cheating on her, and would take her money with her.Â
Just wanted to add too that Raj wasnât lying when he said he loves Mia. He sees her as someone worthy of his loyalty, as he does all the people in his inner circle. He will literally kill for those people he holds dear to him.
@mysimsloveaffairâ
Another very well written scene. I respect Raj for this. And I love the last few lines! lol
Thank you so much dear friend! Iâm always so deliriously happy to receive your compliments!
@braxensimsâ
đ
@shhhushhhâ
đ Her comment!! Defenitely lightened up the atmosphere. On a more sad note - somehow this whole scene and the situation Raj is in made me think of James Brown's song "Paid the cost to be the boss".
Yeah I felt like it wouldnât be true to Mia if she didnât let slip with something irreverent! And yeah, Rajâs situation is a brilliant example of the sacrifices James Brown was singing about. Fingers crossed the next James Brown song Raj and Mia will be referencing is âSex Machine!â ;=)
@phyresimblrâ
My respect for Raj had risen quite a bit by his actions tonight!! Perhaps there is hope for you yet ;) Just donât ever hurt Mia!
@nocturnalazureâ
Doh! I was expecting he'd say that AFTER they'd done it!
@ivorycrayonâ
Huh. Didnât expect it to go this way at all. And I have no idea what to believe :o But lovely piece of writing đ
I think @ktarsimsâ nailed it pretty much above ;=) And Raj does love Mia, but perhaps with not quite the same unbridled passion...but it is still love, nevertheless. And thank you for the lovely compliment, Ash!!
@buckleysimsâ
THIS right here is why I love Raj. And the last bit, that's why I love Mia. âĽâĽâĽ They're both so different and so flawed, but they have so much chemistry and their imperfections suit each other. I cannot wait to see what happens next!
Thank you so much Colleen! Youâre always so kind and supportive.
And Iâm really hoping to build on that chemistry, esp. now theyâve kissed ;=)
@devotedghostsâ
Heâs going to sleep with her and I donât know who Raj think he fooling.
@greywardenconsortâ
Le Sigh...
39 notes
¡
View notes
Text
I was inspired by the stansa story, âA Lady in Waiting,â by the wonderful @the-red-wulf and wrote âWinterâs Princessâ from Shireen/Stannisâ POV. đŚđÂ
Iâll post the fic below as well (sfw!). It made me happy to write - almost as happy as when I read Red Wulfâs work. Every fic is so earnestly sweet and romantic, they make me want to fall in love. đ¤đ
Ever since she could remember, Shireen knew that she was loved.
She had never known what it was like to be without a warm presence beside her or have no one to confess her hurts and her wishes to. Shireen only had to trace the stags and daisies embroidered on her sleeves and know that she wasnât alone â she never was, with Davos, and Patches, and her parents beside her.
Shireen loved them all in different ways and would never choose a favorite between them; though she knew Davos was the best with her secrets, Patches was always able to amuse and uplift her, and her parents would always be there. Her mother always had a sweet word, and a comforting embrace, while her father could advise her as no one else could. Davosâ wife, Marya, made her happy too, though she was often busy with her sons, who Shireen found too rough to play with.
She knew that others werenât as fortunate, the thought making her heart tremble. She prayed for many things to the Seven, her thoughts revolving around her mother and the swell of her bodice, and her father who had never looked so happy.
(âHe was like this before, when you were just born,â Sansa, the only mother that she had ever known confided. It wasnât often that Shireen thought of her blood mother, Selyse, though she dutifully included her in her prayers. âHe loves you very much, darling. He always has.â)
Her slipper-clad feet slapped against the marble as she ran, heedless of the guard that followed her. Shireen clutched her gift near, knowing she would be devastated if she dropped it. She and her father had wanted to do something special for her motherâs name dayâŚ
âPapa!" Shireen exclaimed as she slipped into his study. He looked up from his papers, his scowl vanishing as he saw who it was. "Look! The roses bloomed!"
âIndeed,â Stannis said, as he rose to his feet. The warmth in his tone was one he reserved for only a handful of people, namely his wife, and their daughter. Shireen beamed as she presented the crown of roses that sheâd weaved.
âDo you think mama will like them?â Shireen asked, her eyes growing wide as her father took the crown from her. He handled it gently, his eyes softening as he thought of his wife, Sansa. She was a princess of the North, his constant companion, and the only woman that he had dared to adore.
And love, as he never had before.
âI do,â Stannis murmured, handing the crown back to her.
Shireen worried her lip, her brow knitting for a moment. âDo you think it will make her sad, papa?â she asked, her tone quiet. She often heard stories of Winterfell before bed, leaving her with thoughts of swirling snow, a sacred Godswood, and the ghosts that haunted the castle walls within.
âMama says that she misses Winterfell very much, though she would never leave us. She â she promised me,â Shireen added, her cheeks flushing pink.
The blue roses that Stannis had grown with his daughter were the only secret they kept from Sansa, one they intended to reveal on her name day. Davos had found the sole trader in Kingâs Landing who possessed the rare seeds, and the palace gardeners had carefully cultivated them, tending them much as they would at Winterfell.
(The sole gardener who claimed it wasn't possible was quickly shoved aside by the others â their winter queen was adored by many, including most of the palace servants.)
She was nothing like Stannisâs first queen, Selyse, who had spared little kindness for the servants, nor for the nobles alike. Her name was rarely spoken, as overshadowed by Sansa as she was. For Sansa was Selyseâs opposite in every way; delighting in balls and fetes, bestowing her smile on countless, and loving both Stannis and Shireen as Selyse never had.
Stannis ruffled his daughterâs hair, something he would have never dared before. Sansa had changed him in ways he had never fathomed, causing a warmth to spread throughout him as if he were the same as any Stark. (Had her brother Robb not married for love? He was a foolish boy, a reckless man, yet Stannis found he could understand.)
âShe will love them, Shireen,â Stannis said, as Shireen looked up at him with thoughtful eyes. Shireen was the only reason Stannis never regretted his marriage to Selyse, as cold as their marriage was. It was nothing like his marriage with Sansa, one made for love, and domestic bliss. Sansa would never break her word to him nor their daughter, and their coming child, her thoughts and her promises as steady as the sun.
There were times when Stannis felt pity for the man that he once was, rigidly following his duty, and Selyse, who never knew true happiness with him. They were betrothed before they left the cradle, and the thought of breaking their betrothal had never occurred to them. They married out of obligation, and nothing had ever occurred between them that they wanted or asked for. Â It would be different for Shireen when the time came for her to marry, neither Stannis nor Sansa desiring her to sacrifice her heart and her body, for the sake of politics.
âJust as Sansa loves our home here, and you.â
He meant every word and was glad for it. He knew that he could be harsh, even cruel to the ones that followed him as he thought of little beyond facts and figures. Yet when it came to his daughter or his wife, he found himself wanting to be more than dutiful and solemn.
âShe loves you too, papa,â Shireen replied, her braids bobbing as she nodded her head. After seeing the pretty braids that her mother wore, Shireen had never stopped begging for the same â and in the privacy of their apartments, Stannis allowed his daughter to look like a northern princess, the same as her mother was.
Neither he nor Sansa could deny Shireen, not when she asked so sweetly, and had such an earnest soul. âShe said so -â
âDid she?â Stannis asked, his tone light. Davos would have laughed, had he overheard, for he warned his friend that he was softening. (âYouâre becoming a father in truth, Your Grace,â Davos told him, shortly after witnessing him watching as Sansa played in the gardens with Shireen. âDo you see why I can deny my boys nothing? Nor can my wife, who wears a similar look like you, when she sees our youngest... â)
âYes!â Shireen cried.
Stannis smiled, for how could he not?
Sansa had changed his life, as well as Shireen's, for, since her birth, Sansa had raised her as a mother would. She had raised Shireen as if she were her daughter in truth; singing to her when she cried, holding her hand when she learned to walk, and mopping her brow when she was sick. Shireen was never far from her, their laughter filling the palace halls, and at times, even sharing the same bed.
And when Selyse had passed â
Shireenâs life hadnât changed at all, as Sansa was the only mother she had ever known. Nor had Stannis wept, as he mourned the loss of a woman that had never wanted him, nor the daughter she had borne. There was little change in the palace, as Sansa remained in charge of Shireen, and remained in his company.
Her smiles, her laugh, her hesitant touch on his sleeve â
It was everything to Stannis, and he had only one thought after Selyse passed: Sansa could be his.
It delighted and terrified him in turn, as he glimpsed what a life with her could be. She would have all of him or none, and in the months that followed, Stannis found himself exposed, as he never had before. Sansa knew him more than he knew himself, and he often wondered whether he was enough.
For he wanted her by his side, as his queen, as his wife, and the mother of his children. There was no one else that Shireen took to as she did Sansa, who was unfaltering in her kindness and patience. There was true love between them, as they giggled at Patchesâ the foolâs antics, and coaxed the surly royal chef into making lemon cakes for them. Shireen learned kindness and manners from Sansa as if she were truly her own daughter, and Stannis found himself wishing to learn everything that Sansa would teach him. Â
And so, after he put away his black garments, and was free once more; he asked her the question that could change both their lives. (âWill you be mine?â he asked, his tone hesitant as if he were a boy once more, âMy wife, my queen â â
âI would do anything to make you happy,â Stannis wanted to add, he needed to add â
He would force his sword through his doublet before he hurt her, the thought of her fearing him make his blood freeze. He wanted her as he wanted nothing before and wished with every fiber of his being that theirs would be more than a dutiful marriage. He wanted to adorn her with his love and see her swell with child while wearing the crown. He wanted her heart and her soul.
The words spilled from his lips before he could swallow them, and her smile was like the sun. It was blinding and warm, and he stepped closer to her.
âI want nothing else,â Sansa whispered, as he pressed her hand against his cheek. He wanted to keep it there, greedy for her warmth, her love, and she seemed to feel the same. Her blue eyes held his, utterly absent of fear. Â âI dream of nothing else, Stannis.â)
It was the best day of their lives, as Stannis and Sansa both wept, with Shireen between them.
Stannis guided Shireen to the study door, content with leaving scrolls behind on his desk. âShould we go surprise her?â he asked, chuckling as Shireen shrieked in response.
It was their first secret theyâd shared, the first surprise they both thought of. Sansa brought them together in more ways than one, something Stannis would never be able to thank her enough for.
Shireen beamed up at him, with a toothy-grin and bright, wide eyes. âYes, please!â
#stansa#stansa fic#game of thrones fanfic#stannis x sansa#a song of ice and fire#stannis baratheon#sansa stark#shireen baratheon#game of thrones#a song of ice and feels#got au#the red wulf#fluff#so much fluff#archive of our own#ao3
10 notes
¡
View notes
Link
TRIGGER WARNING: Racism and abuse.
NOTE:Â Merry Christma... well, Boxing Day! Sorry this chapter isn't exactly the most festive it could have been. Hopefully you enjoy it anyway!
=Chapter 9
That early evening, Weiss felt content in her knowledge that she and Yang were on good terms, and that they had already logged some study time to help Yang improve her grades. Things were going well. Now, she only had to solve one other new problem that had presented itself.
âSearch me,â Pyrrha sighed as she gently stirred her milkshake with the straw, gazing into the far corner of the malt shop. Weiss had elected to have only a cherry phosphate, not wanting to spoil her dinner since she was eating at home tonight. âIâm an only child.â
âI might as well be,â Weiss admitted. âWhitley is a pill, and a boy anyway, and Winterâs been gone away to college for a couple of years now. Father wonât even tell me if she calls or writes since heâs so disappointed in her career choice.â
âBut the WAC is a noble field! Iâve actually been thinking of enlisting myself, if I donât train for the OlympicsâŚâ
Lowering her voice, Weiss whispered, âI think he expects it to turn her into a lesbian. Since the army is âmenâs workâ to him. Which is pretty ironic, isnât it? Worried about the wrong daughter.â Then in a more normal tone, she added, âPlus, he wanted her to take over the company reins. Iâm not as well-suited, even though I want to - and Whitley is completely useless, the selfish little toad. But itâs too late; sheâs even more stubborn than me, and wonât change her mind for anything.â
Pyrrha nodded to herself as Danny And The Juniors came on the jukebox. A few of the kids in the far corner got up and started to dance, even though it always made the elderly man behind the counter roll his eyes. Privately, Weiss thought that if he hated modern music so much, he shouldnât provide it for the clientele.
âWell⌠are you sure you want to take over the business?â
âHuh?â
âItâs not set in stone. If you want to do something else with your life, I think you should. We only go around once, donât we?â
âThanks,â Weiss snorted as she patted Pyrrhaâs hand. âYouâre a peach, Pyrrha. But no⌠I do think Iâd like to take over Schnee Communications. Really do something big with it.â She noticed her other hand was tapping the stem of her soda glass, and she smiled. âDid you want to dance?â
âHm? Dance? Me? To what?â
âTo âAt The Hopâ, you dunce,â she giggled.
âWith you?â An instant later, she blanched and followed up, âN-not that thereâs anything wrong with that! I just m-meant⌠well, weâre in public, a-and Iâm not like you are, a-and-â
âNo one cares if two girls dance together, Pyrrha. As long as we donât start necking in the middle of the malt shop, itâs fine! Besides⌠maybe weâll get asked to dance by boys.â
Still flushed, Pyrrha glanced over shoulder at the crowd. âYou really think so?â
âI do. And who knows? Might get your mind off a certain Jaune Arc.â
âShhh!â she hissed, but even while Weiss was giggling she slid out of the booth and grabbed her by the hand, dragging her just far enough from their booth to dance.
Neither of them were very good at it, but at least enough to keep time with the music and avoid knocking anything - or anyone - to the floor. Weiss had to admit she was impressed with Pyrrhaâs jitterbugging, and even herself for not falling on her behind even once. She did see out of the corner of her eye that a few of the boys were watching them with slight astonishment, but she made up her mind not to care; if she projected confidence, showed that she didnât care in the slightest, they would eventually go back to their own dance partners. And she was right; a couple of other girls did the same, and even two boys, laughing at the absurdity. Maybe they would start a trend!
When âAll Shook Upâ came on next, she couldnât seem to help herself; she really thought Elvis was the most. Pyrrha took a step back and let Weiss put on a show by herself, mostly just swaying and snapping her fingers. Neither of them minded much, and she got a few cheers when the song ended. Vaguely embarrassed, she curtsied and moved to sit down.
Then someone put in another dime and cued up âLollipopâ. Pyrrha kept dancing, but Weiss decided that it was time to put on a show of a different kind.
âCall my baby lollipop, tell you why,â she belted out in time with the Chordettes, earning her wolf-whistles and thunderous applause from all but the elderly soda jerk. âHis kiss is sweeter than an apple pie! And when he does his shaky rockin' dance, man, I haven't got a chance!â
Everyone started singing along with the chorus, and Pyrrha laughed and clapped louder, clearly enjoying herself. Weiss was, too. For some reason, she had always thought it too unseemly to dance in public anytime other than an actual school sock hop. Singing was another matter, but her father expected her to keep her performances to operetta and hymns. As much as she liked popular music, it was discouraged and seen as âpedestrianâ, so she had never owned any records of her own.
Finally worn out, the two of them finished off their drinks and then made their way home. If they settled in quickly, they could study for an hour or so before suppertime.
However, as it turned out, life had other plans.
âWeiss!â her father called out as they passed through the living room. âMay I speak with you a moment?â
âYes, Father?â
He glanced pointedly at Pyrrha. âAlone?â
âSorry,â she whispered to her friend. âIâll be up in a minute?â Pyrrha nodded, waving at Mr. Schnee as she headed upstairs. He did not deign to acknowledge her.
âGood. Sit.â He motioned to the couch before reclaiming his armchair. Weiss obeyed, sitting primly on the edge of the cushion. âI was hoping you would be able to shed some light on certain information that has come into my possession.â
âSorry, what information is that?â
âApparently, you have been consorting with known delinquents.â
As she stared at her father, the bottom dropped out of Weiss's stomach. Someone had seen her with Yang. Who?! They hadn't been very discreet so it shouldn't have come as much of a surprise that they had been caught - and yet it did. She was completely gobsmacked. Still, there was no reason to cop to everything right away; maybe he didn't know very much, and she certainly didn't want to accidentally volunteer information that wasn't necessary to volunteer.
âWhat?â
âDon't play coy with me,â he went on with a slight sneer that lifted the corner of his mustache. âWhitley saw you sneaking out of the house in the dead of night. What could you have been thinking?â
It was worse than she thought. Of course her father would believe Whitley, that little toad. âW-well, I only went to retrieve a school book I loaned out.â
âTo that Chinese girl, hmm?â
âYes. I'm helping her with math and-â
âYou expect me to believe that the only reason you climbed down the side of our home was to retrieve a book? Just what sort of fool do you take me for?â
âThe best sort! Wait- I mean, no fool at all, Sir!â
Shaking his head, he crossed his legs and leaned heavily against one elbow. âAll the money spent on tutoring, already wasted when you insisted on going to a public school instead of a private academy. Your mother made the inane decision that if it was what you wanted, it was worth the sacrifice. And now look where we are! Youâre running around Vale with some kind of⌠opium fiends on motorbikes!â
âOpiumâŚâ Weiss rolled her eyes when she made the connection. âJust because sheâs half-Chinese doesnât mean sheâs ever even seen opium, Father. And as far as I know, she hasnât!â
âOh, really? You have enough experience with the fruit of the poppy that you can tell the difference?â
It was very difficult for her not to get upset with him. âIâve literally never spent a moment thinking about her being Chinese. Sheâs being raised by her mother, whoâs from America.â
âHmph. The fact remains, she is not the sort of friend you ought to be keeping company with. I forbid you to see her anymore.â
âYou what?â Blinking up at him, she waited for him to elaborate, or to rescind his edict. He did not. So she burst out, âYou canât do that!â
âI just have.â
âBut sheâs-â It took quite a lot of effort to suppress some kind of ill-conceived confession of love. âFather, she needs my help in school, a-and weâre good friends! And you wonât tell me Iâm not to see her!â
His eyes flashed dangerously. âWatch your tongue, young lady. This is my house, and what I say goes.â
âNO!â
âExcuse me?â
âNot this time!â she snapped, leaping to her feet. She knew this wasnât a spectacular idea, but she couldnât seem to stop herself; it was as if the anger pulsing behind her temples was taking over her body, separating her from being able to command it any longer. âAll I ever do is what you tell me to! Iâm a good student, I practice my singing every day, a-and Iâve even been keeping up with tennis! With Yang! So why⌠I mean, how can you forbid me to see someone you donât even know? That isnât fair!â
She could have predicted he would say âLife isnât fairâ before he even formed the words, and was only further angered to hear him say them after all.
âSo what?! That doesnât mean you have to be unfair along with it!â
Jacques Schnee shot to his feet and snatched up her bicep, jerking her forcibly toward him with an iron grip. His cold eyes stabbed down into her own and her heart stopped beating to see his barely-concealed rage.
âYou will stop speaking to me in this manner, and you still stop associating with the Chinese girl. My decision is final. If you continue to disobey me, there will be further consequences. Do I make myself clear?â
âNo.â
âTry that again,â he growled, shaking her arm.
She didnât know why she said it. Her father had already proven he had no interest in what she had to say at all. Perhaps it was the fact that Yang had become a lot more important to her than she ever thought possible, and that connection was too precious to be severed for no reason other than Yangâs race and the fact that she wore a leather jacket. Something within her was glowing white-hot and could not be cooled down until it burned something else.
âOr what? Youâre going to hit me? Again? Like you hit mother when you think weâre not looking? Like she hits Whitley when he smarts off? Is that just what this family does? Itâs pathetic! You are pathetic!â
His eyes flicked to her scar, and Weiss felt the dark thrill of a very unsatisfying triumph. A rough shove sent her falling against the couch, grasping at the arm to keep from winding up in the floor.
âI knew it was a mistake to entrust my companyâs future to a woman. You never see the bigger picture. Whitley may be a low-grade moron, but at least he understands loyalty. All you care about is your sock hops and giggling with the girls - now including some foreign wok-woman. Squandering your potential. Thereâs too much of your mother in you.â
âI donât care,â she lied as the tears began. How desperately she wished they wouldnât.
âYou will. When Iâm disciplining you until you straighten up and act in a way befitting the Schnee name, youâll care.â Smoothing the front of his suit, which had barely been disturbed at all by shoving his daughter, he grunted, âGet up and stop that blubbering.â
Weiss obeyed. Back straight, she stared him down, even as her cheeks glistened.
âBetter. Now, you will sever all contact with the ruffian girl, and you will focus on your studies. Is that clear?â
âItâs clear.â
âDo you promise to obey me?â
Teeth clenched, she hissed, âNever.â His hand came down hard across her face. âAH!â
âDo you promise to obey me?!â
Furious in a way she didnât know she could be, Weiss turned and screamed, âNEVER! Iâll never obey! You can slap me, you can kick me, y-you can chop me into pieces and feed me to the birds! I donât care! Iâm never going to let you tell me who I can and canât be friends with, EVER!â
For a long moment, he regarded her and the angry red throbbing on her cheek. His face was completely impassive, even though he was breathing hard. Then he turned to stare into the unlit fireplace.
âThatâs âwith whom I can and canât be friendsâ. Clearly, sheâs already having a detrimental effect on your grammar.â The sigh was weary, as if this were nothing more than a tedious board meeting. âVery well. Iâll take care of the matter myself. And donât think there wonât be further consequences.â
âWhat is that supposed to mean?â she demanded.
âYouâll see.â Turning back, he glared down at her. âYou are dismissed. Go and study. Do something useful for a change.â
After a few seconds of huffing and puffing, Weiss managed to growl out âI hate you!â before she fled from the room and stomped upstairs.
She had fully intended on going to her room. Pyrrha was probably worried about the screaming, if she hadnât somehow missed all the noise. Halfway there, she changed direction and burst into the drawing room, fists vibrating at her sides.
âMOTHER!â
Willow Schnee was draped over the piano bench, an empty bottle of red wine dangling in her loose grip. This was sadly a standard state of being for the woman; it had been for many years. Weiss had some hazy memories of a glamourous woman who didnât fall to pieces so often, who could resist the pull of strong spirits. Hazy, distant, and with no impact on the present day.
âWhaâŚ?â
Sinking to her knees beside her, Weiss sniffled and whispered, âHe hit me again! H-he promised he wouldnât, and he did, a-and I⌠Mommy, I need you to come back! Come back to us!â
The skin between the womanâs perfect eyebrows crinkled as she tried to think her way through the fog of alcohol. âHm?â
âHe slapped me! Doesnât that mean anything to you?â
âOh⌠no, no he didnât. He said no more⌠only me.â She groaned and pushed a hand into her face. âWinter, stop the train, Mommy needs to lie downâŚâ
Of course it was useless. Sighing, she took the bottle and set it aside, then managed to heave her mother to her feet and guide her to the chaise lounge under the window. The setting sun was just starting to pinken the sky, and she thought the view might help.
âPlease donât go,â Mrs. Schnee murmured. âI⌠want to⌠you were always so sweet, WeissâŚâ
âAt least you got my name right that time,â she muttered.
âWhat?â
âNothing.â Leaning down, she pressed her lips into her motherâs pale forehead. She and Winter looked the most alike, and she definitely had their motherâs gentle eyes. But Weiss had her nominal stature and her angelic singing voice, which were nothing to sneeze at. âMother?â
âHmm?â
âI love you.â
âMmmâŚâ Her hand came up to rest on the side of Weissâs neck. âLove you, too, sweetheart. Youâre my littleâŚâ
Before she could even finish her sentence, her arm flopped to one side and she began to doze. âSnow Angel,â she finished for her. That was most likely what she had been about to say. Weiss decided to leave her there and simply sneak back out of the room. Compared to that mess, her life was entirely tolerable.
When she regained the safety of her own room, she found Pyrrha twisting the hem of her long poodle skirt in her hands. She looked panicked. Seeing her friend in the doorway, she stood, eyes full of fear as she whispered, âWhat happened?â
âNothing.â Edging the door closed, she approached her desk in the corner and rested a hand on her books. âLetâs just⌠do our homework.â
âYour faceâŚâ
âWhat about it? Am I really that hideous?â
Pyrrha put her hands on her friendâs shoulders and held her fast. âDonât do that. He⌠he shouldnât be allowed toâŚâ
Suddenly, Weiss needed to be alone. She wouldnât tell Pyrrha to leave, but that didnât prevent the desire from rising up powerfully within her. The desire to disappear. The desire to be anyone but a Schnee. âNothing happened. Do you understand?â
âI donât,â she whispered in a tight voice. âI canât pretend this away, Weiss.â
âThen try. Try really, really hard.â
Then arms were around her, holding her as close as was possible. Even though she hated herself for it, would have given the entirety of her trust fund away to stem the flow, the tears started pouring forth in earnest. And they didnât stop for some time.
#princess and the dragons#1950s au#rwby fanfiction#freezerburn fanfic#rwbyremnants#abuse tw#child abuse tw
3 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Shaela (2/?)
âI donât trust her.â
âYou donât trust anyone, Arcturus.â
âYeah, well, especially not her.â
You rolled your eyes at the man you consider to be your best friend. As the stablemanâs son, he had grown up at your side and his loyalty to you had never once faltered. He could have been a highly-decorated soldier in one of the noblesâ armies if not for his dragonborn blood. It was a shame, you thought, the prejudice that ran rampant in this country. Then again, perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, to have him close and so willing to help when you needed him. But that was selfish, you knew. You knew that if this world were kinder, he could be so much more.
âAre you sure itâs not for other reasons?â you asked. The question was half-joking, half-earnest. You have not been friends since childhood without getting a glimpse of his feelings. But you cannot say you return the sentiment, and knowing that, he has always kept a respectful distance.
Still, the directness of the question was a jab that seemed to make Arcturus wince. It was not an unfamiliar wound, and he must have known that you had every right to question his motives. He sat silent for a moment, perhaps to search his own feelings and judgment.
âNo, thatâs not it,â he said with a shake of his head. âI just...I donât know. She just doesnât seem all here. With you. I have no doubt that she cares for you,â he clarified hurriedly. âBut itâs as if something else calls to her. And it could call her away from you, if it calls loudly and urgently enough.â
âAnother woman?â
âNo, thatâs not it.â He absentmindedly brushed his hand across his bald head in thought. âI canât place it. Just trust me on this.â
âUh huh, sure.â
âI mean...whatâs her trade? Her occupation?â
âI never took you to be the type to judge people by their station,â you said pointedly with raised eyebrows. But you were careful about the answer. âA historian. A scholar. She was an underclerk for the Magistrate in Broadison for many years, which Iâm sure you know is very prestigious.â
âUh huh.â Arcturusâs eyes narrowed. He has known you long enough to know when you are hedging on an answer and giving less than a whole-truth. He did not hide his skepticism.
âOkay, she just needs to re-commit to her studies,â you admitted. âSheâs had a rough past few years. But I have all of the books and resources she needs to get back on track.â
Arcturus sighed. âThatâs not your job, you know. Why are you so determined to fix her?â
âWho said thereâs anything that needs to be fixed?â You could feel the defensiveness rising in your voice and took a moment to regather yourself before sighing. âI just...I like her, alright? And I believe in her. Sheâs smart and her writing reaches people. Thereâs good in her but sheâs just frustrated and doesnât know how to channel that.â
He didnât have much to say in response, almost as if his mind was already made up. He turned away from you, and you could not deny the small ache of knowing that two of the people most important to you could not coexist without some discomfort.
âA lot has changed here while we were gone, it seems,â he said with his back to you as he gazed out the open window. The sky was fading into a warm orange as the sun was setting. âSheâs learned a lot, you know.â He nodded pointedly at the directly room across the hall. Even through closed doors, you could hear the familiar, sweet laughter that you had missed for months.
âThank you for keeping her safe,â you said. âYou know I donât want to send her away, butâŚâ
âI know. I understand.â Arcturus understood better than anyone else your responsibilities to the family business. That meant making some sacrifices to...reduce distractions. âBut she has done very well and her powers grow. Youâll be very proud when she shows you.â
âIâm sure I will.â You smiled at the thought.
Arcturus paused before turning around to face you.
âHas she met Lex yet?â
//
Having left Arcturus in the library, you retreated to your bedchambers in the adjacent room. You could not help but smile as you watched the half-elf re-dress herself, pulling her arms into the sleeves of a clean shirt and fastening the buttons. The haircut you arranged for her to get had done some good in revealing her face and grey-green eyes. Â
âDoes this look alright?â she asked, readjusting the shirt collar in the mirror.
With a smile, you stood in front of her at the mirror, realigning her collar to cover a few fresh scars across her clavicle and other stray marks on her neck. âYou clean up very nicely,â you laughed. âBeing out of the shadows suits you.â
When you took a step back to study her more fully, she managed a shy and somewhat awkward smile.
âHavenât had to shine up like this since Broadison,â she admitted, wincing almost. âItâs been a while.â She looked at the closed door to your bedchambers and frowned. âYour friend doesnât like me,â she said.
âArcturus? He is just...not a friendly person. But he means well and would do anything for me and my family.â
âI know, I justâŚâ She sat back on your bed and ran her hands through her hair. âIâm just a little out of my depth here, you know?â She sighed and took your hands in hers as you stood above her. âI love you. And I appreciate everything youâve done for me. But I donât belong in this world anymore, and everyone â your father, your mother, and now your friend â they all know I donât belong.â
At such a confession, of such a showing of vulnerability she had not dared to show before, you sat next to her on the bed, holding her hand still. Here before you was not the assassin who crouched at your window, ready to take your life, determined to steal whatever she could get her hands on. No, here was the woman who would rather give you a book recommendation than kill you, who fell asleep in an armchair next to the fireplace while reading, who held you at night and ensured a safety you hadnât known before. She was not what anyone around you would have expected or approved of. But she was yours and they would just have to make do with that.
I have already given so much of myself to them, you thought painfully, your eyes drifting to the room across the hall. They must let me have this.
âThey are all protective of me,â you admitted, squeezing her hand. âAnd my family is wrapped up in its name and its honor and our work. I canât change that about them. Just know that I think you belong here.â
She nodded along at your words, perhaps managed even a small smile, but still said nothing. Her doubts remained.
âBut I know whose judgment I trust,â you continued, âand I know sheâll love you as much as I do. Just promise to be on your best behavior, hm?â
âI...youâre going to introduce us?â
âYouâve become an important person to me, and I plan to keep you around as long as you donât run off.â
âHah. Fair enough.â Lex paused, considering this for a moment. She kept her eyes trained on the ground, both intently focused and gazing at nothing, and you wished you could pinpoint what she was searching for.
âI know this is...big,â she said, finally meeting your eyes. âThank you for trusting me with this.â
Almost as if on cue, there was a knock at your bedchamber doors. It was not Arcturusâs heavy knuckles against the wood, but smaller, more delicate hands.
Unable to wait any longer, you threw the door open as small arms reached up to wrap around your middle. It had been many months too long without her, and she had grown taller than you thought. The ruefulness of your separation and her absence reverberated even now, but the ache receded substantially when you were able to pick her up and gather her in your arms.
The tears brimmed and you shut your eyes tightly as you pressed your face into her hair and held your daughter for the first time in months.
âI missed you,â you murmured into her soft hair, a red so deep it was nearly purple.
âMissed you more, Mom,â she giggled, her arms wrapped around your neck.
âEnid, thereâs somebody Iâd like you to meet.â
3 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Polar Opposites, Yet Still In Love
Thanks for the support as always, @xpegasusuniverseâ! This was so much fun to write I got carried away, heehee! I hope you like it!
Summary: Vaike was regarded as a hero once he came back home after the war, and now he and Miriel are going to live out the rest of their days in his birth home -- a tiny village far from Ylisstol. Miriel still struggles with the matters of the heart, but she does have a very passionate companion to teach her all about love, after all.
Commission info HERE and HERE!
The final battle against Grima, the Dragon of Destruction, had been won by the sacrifice of its counterpart, Robin. Ylisse and every realm of the world were saved by a single person's sacrifice.
Yet, time would not wait for Robin's return for there was much rebuilding to be done -- many soldiers to return home so as to join the reconstruction effort; many families to be reunited after the purging war had been won.
The Shepherds were repurposed: With Chrom's rising to the throne, they would become his eyes and ears all around the realm, becoming a specialized police force, so to say. However, only those whose knightly or marital vows tied them to Ylisse stayed behind the capitol to serve this new task force -- many followed the common soldier's path of returning home to rebuild.
Vaike had been one of those people, alongside his wife Miriel. They rode side by side to the fighter's birth village, a large carriage chock-full of the mage's books and experiments following close behind.
"Ya can't wait ta meet my lil' bros and sisters, Miriel! They're gonna be so surprised when they see that their Teach single-handedly defeated the mighty-feared Grima!" He flexed, letting go of the reins to do so.
Miriel promptly held them herself she sat in front of her husband, over the same horse. She raised her brow, quickly adjusting her thin and perfectly symmetrical glasses. "Has your memory gone awry, Vaike? The one whose sacrifice was the greatest -- AND the most crucial for the outcome of the battle -- was Robin, not you. I wager you 'smashed', as you have reminded me constantly, the heads of a few Risen generals instead."
"Hey! My job was darning important, y'know! I opened the way with my trusty axe," he swirled both hands overhead, as though he carried such weapon. Miriel simply lowered her head so as to dodge the next time he swooped around, "and cleaned it all for my buddies, Chrom and Robin. Might as well have defeated the dragon m'self!"
"I fail to comprehend how such a small act amidst such a busy battle may have contributed to the slaying of our enemy, however I do admit that your words ring a sliver of truth -- it WAS indeed our combined efforts that allowed our leaders to succeed in a task once deemed impossible."
Vaike snapped his fingers, pointing his indexes as his wife. "You got it! I knew you'd come around to understanding my greatness!"
Miriel raised one eyebrow. "Mayhap you did not hear the part whence I said 'OUR combined efforts', my husband. Did the loud sounds of that battle turn you deaf? I shall have a look at it once my laboratory is set up in our new home."
"Yeahhh, about that; it's not gonna be anything 'new', you know?" He scratched the back of his head, promptly ignoring the part about him being deaf. "I'm surprised you actually followed me here to this ass-end of the realm. It's such a small village I don't think we even pay taxes."
"Improbable. The tax collectors are evenly distributed all over the kingdom, and each noble house responsible for the region has to relay the gains back to the Crown. The House managing this area would not miss out on collecting the gold from a village in its dominion, no matter how small." Miriel said categorically, turning her eyes to the barren road ahead, slowly leaning her back on Vaike's bare chest. "Addendum: I would not allow the man my heart apparently chose to leave on his own -- this promise we made," she caressed the ring he had carefully picked for her the day he proposed, "is not so easily broken. Neither are my... feelings, I suppose."
"Heh, look at you, getting all sentimental." He chuckled awkwardly, resting his chin on her head, wrinkling and folding her hat sideways. "Still a long ways to go to understand what's in there though, yeah? Ima teach you, don't worry." He slipped his hand to her waist, which brought warmth to the mage's heart.
Amused at her reaction to such a small action, Miriel placed her hand over his, a tiny smile sprouting at the corners of her lips. "I look forward to it, my husband."
"Damn it, Miriel, you supposed ta say 'Teach'!"
Once close to the slums whence Vaike was born, more and more people began to gather, making the fighter's smile grow with each new spectator.
"Brother Vaike!" A young boy yelled from a distance, "Broo!" Another one followed, his voice being mirrored by dozens others.
"Har har, da's your Teach right 'ere, folks!" He flexed once again, not being able to bear with riding any longer and quickly jumping out of the horse, leaving Miriel to guide it alone. "Look at those muscles! This flex!" He posed while laughing, the people around them yelling in delight.
"Bro!" Many a children jumped to his arms, "you did it, Bro! I knew you could do it!" They usually said as he spun them around, then threw them overhead (Miriel once again noted the invisible force pulling people and objects downwards, but hadn't had time to put it all to paper).
"This one's Yapper, that one's Rits, that over there's Lock, that's Resy," Vaike pointed at each child as they came around, introducing them to Miriel. They were the 'little sisters and brothers' he spoke so fondly of -- siblings of the street, so to speak.
Raised in the slums, they all banded together in order to increase their odds of survivability, creating familial bonds stronger than those of blood, as Miriel herself theorized after hearing the story for the first time. Still, seeing them all first hand, even the 'not in touch with her feelings' Miriel could tell that those people TRULY loved, treasured and looked up to Vaike.
They guided their horse through the streets, pushed their carriage whenever it got stuck in debris and muddy spots, and, most important of all, believed whatever Vaike told them about his overly exaggerated sploits during his years of serving the Shepherds.
They took twice as long to arrive at Vaikeâs home -- renovated by the villagers themselves (with the money Vaike sent, of course) -- but once they did, his elderly mother welcomed them with open arms.
The lady could barely stand without the help of a walking crane, her old bones and gentle smile always ready for her son to come back as a hero. âMy boy! I knew you could do itâŚâ She said in a trembling voice, inviting her son who was twice her height, to hug her.
He almost crouched to wrap his arms around the fragile lady, making Miriel jump out of the horse hastily in order to be there should he accidentally break a bone or two, though it seemed unnecessary. The moment he placed his arms around the lady, he picked her up, making her sit on top of his forearm. âMa!! I told ya Iâd be back with glory behind me! AND I brought back the best woman I could find -- her nameâs Miriel!â
The old lady squinted, extending her arms so as to reach out for Miriel. The mage promptly stepped forward (she put it in the back of her mind to study the reason behind such gesture -- compassion for the elderly, perhaps? Has her heart evolved so that it was already taking actions by itself without her meaning it to?), allowing her mother in law to touch her face. âIs that a beautiful mage I see? Why, Vaike, howâdya net yourself someone so smart looking like that?â
âShe ainât all about looks, ya know? She has brains even in her toes, I wager! Har har!!â
âUnlikely. The brain, as confirmed through many autopsies, is an organ located inside the skull only- ah, you meant that as an exaggeration, did you not?â She fixed her glasses, her face still full of old lady fingers while she narrowed her eyes to her husband.
âHorsefeathers! She speaks so⌠so well!â
âMayhap you meant that I am eloquent, mother-in-law. I do have a larger vocabulary than the common person.â
âOh, dear!â The old lady giggled, patting Mirielâs hat. âI think yer too much for my lilâ hero here, but please, darling⌠take care of him for me, will ya? The gods know how much I worry.â
Miriel felt a pang inside her heart, her eyes suddenly flickering with emotion. âHow very interesting⌠It seems that I do know the answer for that, Vaike.â She referred to her husband despite looking at her mother in law, catching his smirk growing with the corner of her eyes.
âYaâve always been a fast learner. Go on, say it.â He encouraged, gesturing with his chin.
âThank you for entrusting your son to me, Mother-in-law. I am the one always learning with him, despite all evidence to the contrary -- he is teaching me the matters of the heart. He is incapable of learning the matters of the brain, however his potential for following his emotions is bottomless.â
Vaike frowned, adjusting his mother on his arms. âHey! Say it properly! Youâre only saying bad-â
âHush, my husband,â Miriel smiled so softly it brought a flush of red through Vaikeâs cheeks. âI only meant to say that I love your son, my lady. Wholeheartedly.â
âOh, my dearâŚâ The lady covered her face with both hands, quickly wrapping them around Mirielâs neck. âMay you two complement each other, always.â
8 notes
¡
View notes
Note
I really love the input of Sunset Over The Red Sage from one Leslie Dupont (aka Mary-Beth). Iâm assuming Arthur and Sadie will still cross paths with her at some point since our published writer here needed some more inspiration for the next part of her book where Sophie saves Adam. I wonder how would the two react when they basically read Mary-Bethâs version of their own love story XD
Mary-Beth writing deliciously soapy purple Edwardian romances is really too good to pass up. I absolutely adore her success as Leslie Dupont.  Her first book, published in 1900, was âCastaway Heartsâ, which is what she was writing in her journal while with the gang, and was mostly finished when she left Beaver Hollow. Think of it as a delightfully trashy Robinson and Ramona Crusoe story. ;)âSunset Over The Red Sageâ was next, and this is the book that really launches her career as Leslie Dupont. A lot of things are different from the in-game narrative. Adamâs TB shows up a lot earlier than Arthurâs, for example, and Iâm sure itâs not tied to a debt collection given Arthur never told Mary-Beth about that. And she obviously had to change a lot of events so as not to make it obvious to readers--and Pinkertons--that she had inside knowledge of the Van Der Linde Gang. But Arthurâs not wrong in thinking that was kind of Mary-Bethâs therapy and way of working through everything that happened with the gang in 1899.For the record, since Sadie didnât get there yet, the end of Red Sage is Adam and Sophie confronting Michael and Daniel and their minions, and telling James, Jim, and Annabeth this is their chance to run. The latter three hear a flurry of gunshots behind them as they escape the desert fort where the gang had been hiding, and itâs pretty clear that the reader should assume Adam and Sophie have both been killed in a noble sacrifice. James reminds Annabeth: âAdam told us to go with his blessing and never look back. Oh, my brother, that brave man, to struggle so against that dreaded disease, and then to use the last of his mortal strength for us. Faithful, courageous Sophie too, now reunited with her beloved Joe! Their lives have bought us our freedom and I shall never forget it.â Annabeth sheds a tear, then nods in determination, hugs Jim tighter, and they ride westward into a new life. And yeah, Mary-Beth will have to meet up with Sadie and Arthur at some point given âDawn Over The Desert Sageâ will happen with Sophie helping nurse Adam back to health, and their falling in love.Given their reading âRed Sageâ is probably by turns painful and touching and funny, âDesert Sageâ is going to be pure sometimes-awkward fun in comparison. Theyâll be very honored that Mary-Beth decided to undo the tragic ending of âRed Sageâ and give them a happy life, but I imagine them enjoying reading it out loud to each other in the evenings, and having a lot of good-natured giggling at how different Adam and Sophieâs story probably is from the reality they lived. Thereâll also be a bit of âHope theyâre OKâ about John, Abigail, and Jack since Mary-Beth will likely write Adam, Sophie, James, and Annabeth meeting again too.
#mary beth gaskill#arthur morgan#sadie adler#rdr2#leslie dupont#leslie dupont is damn good fun to write#Anonymous
7 notes
¡
View notes